A complete list of Barron's GRE Wordlist, with meanings and sentences. The series has the entire wordlist split by alphabets, and also a mega complete wordlist, of all 3689 words. This is the Complete Wordlist.
abase
lower; degrade; humiliate
Anna expected to have to curtsy to the King of Siam; when told to cast herself down on the ground before
him, however she refused to abase herself.
abdicate
renounce; give up
When Edward VII abdicated the British throne, he surprised the entire world.
aberrant
abnormal or deviant
Given the aberrant nature of the data, we came to doubt the validity of the entire experiment.
abet
assist, usually in doing something wrong
She was unwilling to abet him in the swindle he had planned.
abject
wretched; lacking pride
On the streets of New York the homeless live in abject poverty, huddling in doorways to find shelter from
the wind.
ablution
washing
His daily ablutions were accompanied by loud noises that he humorously labeled "Opera in the Bath."
abnegation
renunciation; self-sacrifice
Though Rudolph and Duchess Flavia loved one another, their love was doomed, for she had to wed the
king; their act of abnegation was necessary to preserve the kingdom.
abominate
loathe; hate
Moses scolded the idol worshippers in the tribe because he abominated the custom.
abrasive
rubbing away; tending to grind down
Just as abrasive cleaning powders can wear away a shiny finish, abrasive remarks can wear away a listener's
patience.
absolute
complete; totally unlimited; certain
Although the King of Siam was an absolute monarch, he did not want to behead his unfaithful wife
without absolute evidence of her infidelity.
abstain
refrain; withhold from participation
After considering the effect of alcohol on his athletic performance, he decided to abstain from drinking
while he trained for the race.
abstract
theoretical; not concrete; non-representational
To him, hunger was an abstract concept; he had never missed a meal.
abusive
coarsely insulting; physically harmful
An abusive parent damages a child both mentally and physically.
accede
agree
If I accede to this demand for blackmail, I am afraid that I will be the victim of future demands.
accessible
easy to approach; obtainable
We asked our guide whether the ruins were accessible on foot.
accessory
additional object; useful but not essential thing
She bought an attractive handbag as an accessory for her dress.
acclimate
adjust to climate or environment
One of the difficulties of our present air age is the need of travellers to acclimate themselves to their new
and often strange environments.
accost
approach and speak first to a person
When the two young men accosted me, I was frightened because I thought they were going to attack me.
accrue
come about by addition
You must pay the interest that has accrued on your debt as well as the principal sum.
acidulous
slightly sour; sharp; caustic
James was unpopular because of his sarcastic and acidulous remarks.
acme
peak; pinnacle; highest point
Welles's success in Citizen Kane marked the acme of his career as an actor; never again did he achieve such
popular acclaim.
acquiesce
assent; agree passively
Although she appeared to acquiesce to her employer's suggestions, I could tell she had reservations about
the changes he wanted made.
acquittal
deliverance from a charge
His acquittal by the jury surprised those who had thought him guilty.
acrid
sharp; bitterly pungent The acrid odor of burnt gunpowder filled the room after the pistol had been fired.
actuarial
calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics
According to recent actuarial tables, life expectancy is greater today than it was a century ago.
addendum
addition; appendix to book
Jane's editor approved her new comparative literature text but thought it would be even better with an
addendum on recent developments in literary criticism.
adherent
supporter; follower
In the wake of the scandal, the senator's one-time adherent quietly deserted him.
adjunct
something attached to but holding an inferior position
I will entertain this concept as an adjunct to the main proposal.
adjutant
staff officer assisting the commander; assistant
Though Wellington delegated many tasks to his chief adjutant, Lord Fitzroy Somerset, Somerset was in no
doubt as to who made all major decisions.
adulterate
make impure by mixing with baser substances It is a crime to adulterate foods without informing the buyer.
adventitious
accidental; casual
He found this adventitious meeting with his friend extremely fortunate.
advent
arrival
Most Americans were unaware of the advent of the Nuclear Age until the news of Hiroshima reached
them.
adversary
opponent; enemy
Batman struggled to save Gotham City from the machinations of his wicked adversary, the Joker.
affable
courteous
Although he held a position of responsibility, he was an affable individual and could be reached by anyone
with a complaint.
affected
artificial; pretended
His affected mannerisms irritated may of us who had known him before his promotion.
affidavit
written statement made under oath
The court refused to accept his statement unless he presented it in the form of an affidavit.
affiliation
joining; associating with
His affiliation with the political party was of short duration for he soon disagreed with his colleagues.
affirmation
positive assertion; confirmation; solemn pledge by one who refuses to take an oath
Despite Tom's affirmation of innocence, Aunt Polly still suspected he had eaten the pie.
affix
attach or add on; fasten
First the registrar had to affix his signature to the license; then he had to affix his official seal.
affluence
abundance; wealth
Foreigners are amazed by the affluence and luxury of the American way of life.
affront
insult; offend
Accustomed to being treated with respect, Miss Challoner was affronted by Vidal's offensive behavior.
agenda
items of business at a meeting
We had so much difficulty agreeing upon an agenda that there was very little time for the meeting.
agglomeration
collection; heap
It took weeks to assort the agglomeration of miscellaneous items she had collected on her trip.
aggrandize
increase or intensify; raise in power, wealth, rank or honor
The history of the past quarter century illustrates how a President may aggrandize his power to act
aggressively in international affairs without considering the wishes of Congress.
agnostic
one who is skeptical of the existence of knowability of a god or any ultimate reality
The agnostic demanded proof before she would accept the statement of the minister.
agog
highly excited; intensely curious
We were all agog at the news that the celebrated movie star was giving up his career in order to enter a
monastery.
agrarian
pertaining to land or its cultivation
As a result of its recent industrialization, the country is gradually losing its agrarian traditions.
alacrity
cheerful promptness
He demonstrated his eagerness to serve by his alacrity in executing the orders of his master.
alchemy
medieval chemistry
The changing of baser metals into gold was the goal of the students of alchemy.
alcove
nook; recess
Though their apartment lacked a full-scale dining room, an alcove adjacent to the living room made an
adequate breakfast nook for the young couple.
alienate
make hostile; separate
Her attempts to alienate the two friends failed because they had complete faith in each other.
alimentary
supplying nourishment
The alimentary canal in our bodies is so named because digestion of foods occurs there.
alimony
payments make to an ex-spouse after divorce
Because Tony had supported Tina through medical school, on their divorce he asked the court to award
him a month in alimony.
allay
calm; pacify
The crew tried to allay the fears of the passengers by announcing that the fire had been controlled.
allegory
story in which characters are used as symbols; fable
Pilgrim's Progress is an allegory of the temptations and victories of the human soul.
alleviate
relieve
This should alleviate the pain; if it does not, we shall have to use stronger drugs.
alliteration
repetition of beginning sound in poetry
"The furrow followed free" is an example of alliteration.
allude
refer indirectly
Try not to allude to this matter in his presence because the topic annoys him.
allure
entice; attract
allured by the song of the sirens, the helmsman steered the ship toward the reef.
allusion
indirect reference
the allusions to mythological characters in Milton's poems bewilder the reader who has not studied Latin.
alluvial
pertaining to soil deposits left by running water
The farmers found the alluvial deposits at the mouth of the river very fertile.
altruistic
unselfishly generous; concerned for others
In providing tutorial assistance and college scholarships to hundreds of economically disadvantaged
youths, Eugene Lang performed a truly altruistic deed.
amalgamate
combine; unite in one body
The unions will attempt to amalgamate their groups into one national body.
amazon
female warrior
Ever since the days of Greek mythology we refer to strong and aggressive women as amazons.
ambidextrous
capable of using either hand with equal ease
A switch-hitter in baseball should be naturally ambidextrous.
ambiguous
unclear or doubtful in meaning
His ambiguous instructions misled us; we did not know which road to take.
ambivalence
the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes
Torn between loving her parents one minute and hating them the next, she was confused by the
ambivalence of her feelings.
amble
moving at an easy pace
When she first mounted the horse, she was afraid to urge the animal to go faster than a gentle amble.
ambulatory
able to walk
He was described as an ambulatory patient because he was not confined to his bed.
ameliorate
improve
Many social workers have attempted to ameliorate the conditions of people living in the slums.
amenable
readily managed; willing to be led
He was amenable to any suggestions that came from those he looked up to; he resented advice from his
inferiors.
amend
correct; change, generally for the better
Hoping to amend his condition, he left Vietnam for the United States.
amenities
convenient features; courtesies In addition to the customary amenities for the business traveler -- fax machines, modems, a health club --
the hotel offers the services of a butler versed in social amenities.
amity
friendship
Student exchange programs such as the Experiment in International Living were established to promote
international amity.
amnesia
loss of memory
Because she was suffering from amnesia, the police could not get the young girl to identify herself.
amok
in a state of rage The police had to be called in to restrain him after he ran amok in the department store.
amoral
non-moral
The amoral individual lacks a code of ethics; he should not be classified as immoral.
amorphous
shapeless; vague; indeterminate
John was subject to panic attacks that left him prey to vague, amorphous fears: he knew he was terrified,
but could neither define nor explain the cause of his terror.
amphitheater
oval building with tiers of seats
The spectators in the amphitheater cheered the gladiators.
ample
abundant
He had ample opportunity to dispose of his loot before his police caught up with him.
amputate
cut off part of body; prune
When the doctors had to amputate Ted Kennedy's leg to prevent the spread of cancer, he did not let the
loss of his leg keep him from participating in sports.
anachronism
something or someone misplaced in time
Shakespeare's reference to clocks in Julius Caesar is an anachronism; no clocks existed in Caesar's time.
analgesic
causing insensitivity to pain
The analgesic qualities of his lotion will provide temporary relief.
analogous
comparable
She called our attention to the things that had been done in an analogous situation and recommended that
we do the same.
analogy
similarity; parallelism
Your analogy is not a good one because the two situations are not similar.
anarchist
person who rebels against the established order
Only the total overthrow of all governmental regulations would satisfy the anarchist.
anarchy
absence of governing body; state of disorder
The assassination of the leaders led to a period of anarchy.
anchor
secure or fasten firmly; be fixed in place
We set the post in concrete to anchor it in place.
ancillary
serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary
In an ancillary capacity Doctor Watson was helpful; however, Holmes could not trust the good doctor to
solve a perplexing case on his own.
anecdote
short account of an amusing or interesting event
Rather than make concrete proposals for welfare reform, President Raegan told anecdotes about poor
people who became wealthy despite their impoverished backgrounds.
anesthetic
substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness
His monotonous voice acted like an anesthetic; his audience was soon asleep.
anguish
acute pain; extreme suffering
Visiting the site of explosion, Premier Gorbachev wept to see the anguish of the victims and their families.
animadversion
critical remark
He resented the animadversions of his critics, particularly because he realized they were true.
animosity
active enmity
He incurred the animosity of the ruling class because he advocated limitations of their power.
animus
hostile feeling or intent
The animus of the speaker became obvious to all when he began to indulge in sarcastic and insulting
remarks.
anneal
reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling
After the glass is annealed, it will be less subject to chipping and cracking.
annotate
comment; make explanatory notes
In the appendix to the novel, the critic sought to annotate many of the more esoteric references.
annuity
yearly allowance
The annuity he set up with the insurance company supplements his social security benefits so that he can
live very comfortably without working.
anomalous
abnormal; irregular
He was placed in the anomalous position of seeming to approve procedures that he despised.
anonymity
state of being nameless; anonymousness The donor of the gift asked the college not to mention him by name; the dean readily agreed to respect his
anonymity.
antagonistic
hostile; opposed
Despite his lawyers' best efforts to stop him, the angry prisoner continued to make antagonistic remarks to
the judge.
antecedents
preceding events or circumstances that influence what comes later; early life; ancestors
Before giving permission for Drummie to marry Estella, Miss Havisham had a few questions about the
young man's birth and antecedents.
antecede
precede
The invention of the radiotelegraph anteceded the development of television by a quarter of a century.
antediluvian
antiquated; ancient
The antediluvian customs had apparently not changed for thousands of years.
anthropologist
student of the history and science of humankind
Anthropologists have discovered several relics of prehistoric humans in this area.
anthropomorphic
having human form or characteristics
Primitive religions often have deities with anthropomorphic characteristics.
anticlimax
letdown in thought or emotion
After the fine performance in the first act, the rest of the play was an anticlimax.
antipathy
aversion; dislike
His extreme antipathy to dispute caused him to avoid argumentative discussions with his friends.
antiquated
obsolete; outdated
Accustomed to editing his papers on word processors, Philip thought typewriters were too antiquated for
him to use.
antiseptic
substance that prevents infection
It is advisable to apply an antiseptic to any wound, no matter how slight or insignificant.
antithesis
contrast; direct opposite of or to
This tyranny was the antithesis of all that he had hoped for, and he fought it with all his strength.
anvil
iron block used in hammering out metals
After heating the iron horseshoe in the forge, the blacksmith picked it up with his tongs and set it on the
anvil.
apathetic
indifferent
He felt apathetic about the conditions he had observed and did not care to fight against them.
apathy
lack of caring; indifference
A firm believer in democratic government, she could not understand the apathy of people who never
bothered to vote.
aperture
opening; hole
She discovered a small aperture in the wall, through which the insects had entered the room.
ape
imitate or mimic
He was suspended for a week because he had aped the principal in front of the whole school.
aphasia
loss of speech due to injury or illness
After the automobile accident, the victim had periods of aphasia when he could not speak at all or could
only mumble incoherently.
aphorism
pithy maxim
An aphorism differs from an adage in that it is more philosophical or scientific.
apiary
a place where bees are kept
Although he spent many hours daily in the apiary, he was very seldom stung by a bee.
aplomb
poise; composure
Wellington's nonchalance and aplomb in the heat of battle always heartened his followers.
apocalyptic
prophetic; pertaining to revelations; especially of disaster
His apocalyptic remarks were dismissed by his audience as wild surmises.
apocryphal
untrue; made up
To impress his friends, Tom invented apocryphal tales of his adventures in the big city.
apogee
highest point
When the moon in its orbit is furthest away from the earth, it is at its apogee.
apoplexy
stroke; loss of consciousness followed by paralysis
He was crippled by an attack of apoplexy.
apostate
one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs
Because he switched from one party to another, his former friends shunned him as an apostate.
apotheosis
deification; glorification
The Roman empress Livia envied the late emperor his apotheosis; she hoped that on her death she, too, would be exalted to the rank of a god.
apparition
ghost; phantom
Hamlet was uncertain about the identity of the apparition that had appeared and spoken to him.
appease
pacify; soothe
We have discovered that, when we try to appease our enemies, we encourage them to make additional
demands.
application
diligent attention; (secondary meaning) apply
Pleased with how well Tom had whitewashed the fence, Aunt Polly praised him for his application.
apposite
appropriate; fitting
He was always able to find the apposite phrase, the correct expression for every occasion.
appraise
estimate the value of
It is difficult to appraise old paintings; it is easier to call them priceless.
appreciate
be thankful for; increase in worth; be thoroughly conscious of
Little Orphan Annie truly appreciated the stocks Daddy Warbucks ave her, whose value appreciated
considerably over the years.
apprehend
arrest ( a criminal); dread; perceive
The police will apprehend the culprit and convict him before long.
apprehensive
fearful; discerning
His apprehensive glances at the people who were walking in the street revealed his nervousness.
apprise
inform
When he was apprised of the dangerous weather conditions, he decided to postpone his trip.
appropriate
acquire; take possession of for one's own use
The ranch owners appropriated the lands that had originally been set aside for the Indians' use.
apropos
with reference to; regarding
I find your remarks apropos of the present situation timely and pertinent.
aptitude
fitness; talent
The counselor evaluated his aptitudes before advising him about the career he should follow.
aquiline
curved, hooked
He can be recognized by his aquiline nose, curved like the beak of the eagle.
arbiter
person with power to decide a matter in a dispute; judge
As an arbiter in labor disputes, she has won the confidence of the workers and the employers.
arbitrary
unreasonable or capricious; tyrannical
The coach claimed the team lost because the umpire made some arbitrary calls.
arbitrate
act as judge
She was called upon to arbitrate the dispute between the union and the management.
arboretum
place where different varieties of trees and shrubs are studied and exhibited
Walking along the treelined paths of the arboretum, Rita noted poplars, firs, and some particularly fine
sycamores.
arcade
a covered passageway, usually lined with shops
The arcade was popular with shoppers because it gave them protection from the summer sun and the
winter rain.
archaeology
study of artifacts and relics of early mankind
The professor of archaeology headed an expedition to the Gobi Desert in search of ancient ruins.
archaic
antiquated
"Methinks," "thee," and "thou" are archaic words that are no longer part of our normal vocabulary.
archetype
prototype; primitive pattern
The Brooklyn Bridge was the archetype of the many spans that now connect Manhattan with Long Island
and New Jersey.
archipelago
group of closely located islands
When he looked at the map and saw the archipelagoes in the South Seas, he longed to visit them.
archives
public records; place where public records are kept
These documents should be part of the archives so that historians may be able to evaluate them in the
future.
ardor
heat; passion; zeal
Katya's ardor was contagious; soon all her fellow demonstrators were busily making posters and handing
out flyers, inspired by her ardent enthusiasm for the cause.
aristocracy
hereditary nobility; privileged class
Americans have mixed feelings about hereditary aristocracy:
armada
fleet of warships
Queen Elizabeth's navy was able to defeat the mighty armada that threatened the English coast.
arraign
charge in court; indict
After his indictment by the Grand Jury, the accused man was arraigned in the County Criminal Court.
array
clothe; adorn
She liked to watch her motherarray herself in her finest clothes before going out for the evening.
articulate
effective; distinct
Her articulate presentation of the advertising campaign impressed her employers.
artifacts
products of primitive culture
Archaeologists debated the significance of the artifacts discovered in the ruins of Asia Minor and came to
no conclusion.
artifice
deception; trickery
The Trojan War proved to the Greeks that cunning and artifice were often more effective than military
might.
artisan
a manually skilled worker
Artists and artisans alike are necessary to the development of a culture.
artless
without guile; open and honest
Red Riding Hood's artless comment, "Grandma, what big eyes you have!" indicates the child's innocent
surprises at her "grandmother's" changed appearance.
ascendancy
controlling influence
President Marcos failed to maintain his ascendency over Philippines.
asceptic
preventing infection; having a cleansing effect
Hospitals succeeded in lowering the mortality rate as soon as they introduced asceptic conditions.
ascetic
practicing self-denial; austere
The wealthy young man could not understand the ascetic life led by the monks.
asinine
stupid
Your asinine remarks prove that you have not given this problem any serious consideration.
askance
with a sideways or indirect look
Looking askance at her questioner, she displayed her scorn.
askew
crookedly; slanted; at an angle
When he placed his hat askew upon his head, his observers laughed.
asperity
sharpness (of temper)
These remarks, spoken with asperity, stung the boys to whom they had been directed.
aspirant
seeker after position or status
Although I am as aspirant for public office, I am not willing to accept the dictates of the party bosses.
assay
analyze; evaluate
When they assayed the ore, they found that they had discovered a very rich vein.
assert
state strongly or positively; insist on or demand recognition of (rights, claims, etc).
When Jill asserted that nobody else in the junior class had such an early curfew, her parents Asserted
themselves, telling her that if she didn't get home by nine o'clock she would be grounded for the week.
assessment
estimation; appraisal
I would like to have your assessment of the situation in South Africa.
assiduous
diligent
It took Rembrandt weeks of assiduous labor before he was satisfied with his portrait of his son.
assimilate
absorb; cause to become homogenous
The manner in which the United States was able to assimilate the hordes of immigrants during the
nineteenth and early part of the twentieth centuries will always be a source of pride.
assumption
something taken for granted; the taking over or taking possession of
The young princess made the foolish assumption that the regent would not object to her Assumption of
power.
assurance
promise or pledge; certainty; self-confidence
When Gutherie gave Guiness his assurance that rehearsals were going well, he spoke with such assurance
that Guiness was convinced.
asteroid
small planet
asteroids have become commonplace to the readers of interstellar travel stories in science fiction
magazines.
astigmatism
eye defect that prevents proper focus
As soon as his parents discovered that the boy suffered from astigmatism, they took him to the
optometrist for corrective glasses.
astral
relating to the stars
She was amazed at the number of astral bodies the new telescope revealed.
astringent
binding; causing contraction; harsh or severe
The astringent quality of unsweetened lemon juice made swallowing difficult.
astronomical
enormously large or extensive
The government seemed willing to spend astronomical sums on weapons development.
asylum
place of refuge or shelter; protection
The refugees sought asylum from religious persecution in a new land.
asymmetric
not identical on both sides of a dividing central line
Because one eyebrow was set markedly higher than the other, William's face had a particularly asymmetric
appearance.
atavism
resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type;
throwback
Martin seemed an atavism to his Tuscan ancestors who lavished great care on their small plots of soil.
attenuate
make thin; weaken
By withdrawing their forces, the generals hoped to attenuate the enemy lines.
attest
testify; bear witness
Having served as a member of a grand jury, I can attest that our system of indicting individuals is in need
of improvement.
attribute
ascribe; explain
I attribute her success in science to the encouragement she received from her parents.
attrition
gradual wearing down
They decided to wage a war of attrition rather than to rely on all-out attack.
audacious
daring; bold
Audiences cheered as Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia made their audacious, death-defying leap to
freedom and escaped Darth Vader's troops.
audit
examination of accounts
When the bank examiners arrived to hold their annual audit, they discovered the embezzlements of the
chief cashier.
august
impressive; majestic
Visiting the palace at Versailes, she was impressed by the august surroundings in which she found herself.
aureole
sun's corona; halo
Many medieval paintings depict saintly characters with aureols around their heads.
auroral
pertaining to the aurora borealis
The auroral display was particularly spectacular that evening.
auspicious
favoring success
With favorable weather conditions, it was an auspicious moment to set sail.
austere
strict, stern
His austere demeanor prevented us from engaging in our usual frivolous activities.
austerity
sternness; severity; lack of luxuries
The austerity and dignity of the court were maintained by the new justices, who were a strict and solemn
group.
authenticate
prove genuine
An expert was needed to authenticate the original Van Gogh painting, distinguishing it from its imitation.
authoritarian
favoring or exercising total control; non-democratic
The people had no control over their destiny; they were forced to obey the dictates of the authoritarian
regime.
authoritative
having the weight of authority; dictatorial
We accepted her analysis of the situation as authoritative.
autocrat
monarch with supreme power
He ran his office like an autocrat, giving no one else any authority.
automaton
mechanism that imitates actions of humans
Long before science fiction readers became aware of robots, writers were creating stories of automation
who could outperform humans.
autonomous
self-governing
This island is a colony; however, in most matters, it is autonomous and receives no orders from the mother
country.
autopsy
examination of a dead body; postmortem
The medical examiner ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
auxiliary
offering or providing help; additional or sub-sidiary
To prepare for the emergency, they built an auxiliary power station.
avocation
secondary or minor occupation
His hobby proved to be so fascinating and profitable that gradually he abandoned his regular occupation
and concentrated on his avocation.
avuncular
like an uncle
Avuncular pride did not prevent him from noticing his nephew's shortcomings.
awl
pointed tool used for piercing
She used an awl to punch additional holes in the leather belt she had bought.
awry
distorted; crooked He held his head awry, giving the impression that he had caught cold in his neck during the night.
axiom
self-evident truth requiring no proof
Before a student can begin to think along the lines of Euclidean geometry, he must accept certain
principles or axioms.
badger
pester; annoy
She was forced to change her telephone number because she was badgered by obscene phone calls.
badinage
teasing conversation
Her friends at work greeted the news of her engagement with cheerful badinage.
baleful
menacing; deadly
Casting a baleful eye at his successful rival, the rejected suitor stole off, vowing to have his revenge.
balk
foil
When the warden learned that several inmates were planning to escape, he took steps to balk their attempt.
balk
stoop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue
The chief of police balked at sending his officers into the riot-torn area.
ballast
heavy substance used to add stability or weight
The ship was listing badly to one side; it was necessary to shift the ballast in the hold to get her back on an
even keel.
bandy
discuss lightly; exchange blows or words
The president refused to bandy words with reporters at the press conference.
bantering
good-naturedly ridiculing
They resented his bantering remarks because they misinterpreted his teasing as sarcasm.
barb
sharp projection form fishhook, etc.; pointed comment
The barb from the fishhook caught in his finger as he grabbed the fish.
barefaced
shameless; bold; unconcealed
Shocked by Huck Finn's barefaced lies, Miss Watson prayed the good Lord would give him a sense of his
unregenerate wickedness.
baroque
highly ornate
Accustomed to the severe, angular lines of modern skyscrapers, they found the flamboyance of baroque
architecture amusing.
barrage
barrier laid down by artillery fire; overwhelming profusion
The company was forced to retreat through the barrage of heavy canyons.
barrister
counselor-at-law
Galsworthy started as a barrister, but when he found the practice of law boring, turned to writing.
bask
luxuriate; take pleasure in warmth
basking on the beach, she relaxed so completely that she fell asleep.
bastion
stronghold; something seen as a source of protection
The villagers fortified the town hall, hoping this improvised bastion could protect them from the guerrila
raids.
bate
let down; restrain
Until it was time to open the presents, the children had to bate their curiosity.
beatitude
blessedness; state of bliss
Growing closer to God each day, the mystic achieved a state of indescribable beatitude.
bedraggle
wet thoroughly
We were so bedraggled by the severe storm that we had to change into dry clothing.
befuddle
confuse thoroughly
His attempts to clarify the situation succeeded only on befuddling her further.
beget
father; produce; give rise to
One good turn may deserve another; it does not necessarily beget another.
behemoth
huge creature; something of monstrous size or power
Sportcasters nicknamed the linebacker "The Behemoth."
beholden
obligated; indebted
Since I do not wish to be beholden to anyone, I cannot accept this favor.
behoove
be suited to; be incumbent upon
In this time of crisis, it behooves all of us to remain calm and await the instructions of our superiors.
belabor
explain or go over excessively or to a ridiculous degree; assail verbally
The debate coach warned her student not to bore the audience by belaboring his point.
belated
delayed
He apologized for his belated note of condolence to the widow of his friend and explained that he had just
learned of her husband's untimely death.
beleaguer
besiege
As soon as the city was beleaguered, the life became more subdued as the citizens began their long wait for
outside assitance.
belie
contradict; give a false impression
His coarse, hard-bitten exterior belied his innate sensitivity.
belittle
disparage; depreciate
Parents should not belittle their children's early attempts at drawing, but should encourage their efforts.
belligerent
quarrelsome
Whenever he had too much to drink, he became belligerent and tried to pick fights with strangers.
bemused
confused; lost in thought; preoccupied
Jill studied the garbled instructions with a bemused look on her face.
benefactor
gift giver; patron
Scrooge later became Tiny Tim's benefactor and gave him a benediction.
beneficent
kindly; doing good
The overgenerous philanthropist had to curb his beneficent impulses before he gave away all his money
and left himself with nothing.
beneficiary
person entitled to benefits or proceeds of an insurance policy
You may change your beneficiary as often as you wish.
benevolent
generous; charitable
His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him.
benign
kindly; favorable; not malignant
The old man was well liked because of his benign attitude toward friend and stranger alike.
benison
blessing
Let us pray that the benison of peace once more shall prevail among the nations of the world.
bent
determined; natural talent or inclination
bent on advancing in the business world, the secretary heroine of Working Girl had a true bent for high
finance.
bequeath
leave to someone by means of a will; hand down
In his will, Father bequeathed his watch to Phillip; the bequest meant a great deal to the boy.
bereavement
state of being deprived of something valuable or beloved
His friends gathered to console him upon his sudden bereavement.
besmirch
soil, defile
The scandalous remarks in the newspaper besmirch the reputations of every member of the society.
bestial
beastlike; brutal; inhuman
The Red Cross sought to put an end to the bestial treatment of prisoners of war.
betroth
become engaged to marry
The announcement that they had become betrothed surprised their friends who had not suspected any
romance.
bifurcated
divided into two branches; forked
With a bifurcated branch and a piece of elastic rubber, he made a crude but effective slingshot.
bigotry
stubborn intolerance
Brought up in a democratic atmosphere, student was shocked by the bigotry and narrowness expressed by
several of his classmates.
bilious
suffering from indigestion; irritable
His bilious temperament was apparent to all who heard him rant about his difficulties.
bivouac
temporary encampment
While in bivouac, we spent the night in our sleeping bags under the stars.
blase
bored with pleasure or dissipation
Your blase attitude gives your students an erroneous impression of the joys of scholarship.
blatant
extremely obvious; loudly offensive
Caught in a blatant lie, the scoundrel had only one regret: he wished that he had lied more subtly.
blighted
suffering from a disease; destroyed
The extent of the blighted areas could be seen only when viewed from the air.
blithe
gay; joyous; careless
Shelley called the skylark a "blithe spirit" because of its happy song.
bloated
swollen or puffed as with water or air
Her bloated stomach came from drinking so much water.
blowhard
talkative boaster
After all Sol's talk about his big show business connections led nowhere, Sally decided he was just another
blowhard.
bluff
pretense (of strength); deception; high cliff
Claire thought Lord Byron's boast that he would swim the Hellespont was just a bluff, she was astounded
when he dove from the high bluff into the waters below.
bode
foreshadow; portend
The gloomy skies and the sulfurious odors from the mineral springs seemed to bode evil to those who settled in the area.
bogus
counterfeit; not authentic
The police quickly found the distributors of the bogus twenty-dollar bills.
boisterous
violent; rough; noisy
The unruly crowd became even more boisterous when he tried to quiet them.
bolster
support; reinforce
The debaters amassed file boxes full of evidence to bolster their arguments.
bombast
pompous, inflated language
Filled with bombast, the orator's speech left the audience more impressed with his pomposity than with his
logic.
boon
blessing; benefit
The recent rains that filled our empty reservoirs were a boon to the whole community.
boorish
rude; insensitive
Though Mr. Potts constantly interrupted his wife, she ignored his boorish behavior, for she had lost hope
of teaching him courtesy.
bouillon
clear beef soup
The cup of bouillon served by the stewards was welcomed by those who had been chilled by the cold
ocean breezes.
bourgeois
middle class
The French Revolution was inspired by the bourgeois, who resented the aristocracy.
bovine
cowlike; placid and dull
Nothing excites Esther; even when she won the state lottery, she still preserved her air of bovine calm.
bowdlerize
expurgate
After the film editors had bowdlerized the language in the script, the motion picture's rating was changed
from "R" to "PG."
brackish
somewhat saline
He found the only wells in the area were brackish; drinking the water made him nauseous.
braggart
boaster
Modest by nature, she was no braggart, preferring to let her accomplishments speak for themselves.
bravado
swagger; assumed air of defiance The bravado of the young criminal disappeared when he was confronted by the victims of his brutal attack.
breach
breaking of contract or duty; fissure; gap
They found a breach in the enemy's fortifications and penetrated their lines.
brevity
conciseness
brevity is essential when you send a telegram or cablegram; you are charged for every word.
brindled
tawny or grayish with streaks or spots
He was disappointed in the litter because the puppies were brindled; he had hoped for animals of uniform
color.
brittle
easily broken; difficult
My employer's brittle personality made it difficult for me to get along with her.
browbeat
bully; intimidate
Billy resisted Ted's attempts to browbeat him into handing over his lunch money.
bugaboo
bugbear; object of baseless terror
If we become frightened by such bugaboos, we are no wiser than the birds who fear scarecrows.
bulwark
earthwork or other strong defense; person who defends
The navy is our principal bulwark against invasion.
bungle
spoil by clumsy behavior
I was afraid you would bungle his assignment but I had no one else to send.
bureaucracy
government by bureaus
Many people fear that the constant introduction of federal agencies will create a government by
bureaucracy.
burgeon
grow forth; send out buds
In the spring, the plants that burgeon are a promise of the beauty that is to come.
burlesque
give an imitation that ridicules
In his caricature, he burlesqued the mannerisms of his adversary.
burnish
make shiny by rubbing; polish
The maid burnished the brass fixtures until they reflected the lamplight.
buttress
support; prop up
Just as architects buttress the walls of cathedrals with flying buttresses, debates buttress their arguments
with facts.
cabal
small group of persons secretly united to promote their own interests
The cabal was defeated when its scheme was discovered.
cache
hiding place
The detectives followed the suspects until he led them to the cache where he had stored his loot.
cadaverous
like a corpse; pale
From his cadaverous appearance, we could see how the disease had ravaged him.
cadence
rhythmic rise and fall (of words or sounds); beat
Marching down the road, the troops sang out, following the cadence set by the sergeant.
calamity
disaster; misery
As news of the calamity spread, offers of relief poured in to the stricken community.
calligraphy
beautiful writing; excellent penmanship
As we examine ancient manuscripts, we became impressed with the calligraphy of the scribes.
callous
hardened; unfeeling
He had worked in the hospital for so many years that he was callous to the suffering in the wards.
callow
youthful; immature
In that youthful movement, the leaders were only a little less callow than their immature followers.
calumny
malicious misrepresentation
He could endure his financial failure, but he could not bear the calumny that his foes heaped upon him.
camaraderie
good-fellowship
What he loved best about his job was the sense of camaraderie he and his co-workers shared.
cameo
shell or jewel carved in relief
Tourists are advised not to purchase cameos from the street peddlers of Rome who sell poor specimens of
the carver's art.
candor
frankness
The candor and simplicity of his speech impressed all, it was all clear he held nothing back.
canine
related to dogs; doglike
Some days the canine population of Berkeley seems almost to outnumber the human population.
cantankerous
ill-humored; irritable
Constantly complaining about his treatment and refusing to cooperate with the hospital staff, he was a
cantankerous patient.
cantata
story set to music, to be sung by a chorus
The choral society sang the new cantata composed by its leader.
canter
slow gallop
Because the racehorse had outdistanced its competition so easily, the reporter wrote that the race was won
in a canter.
cant
pious phraseology; jargon of criminals
Angry that the president had slashed the education budget, we dismissed his speech on the importance of
education as mere cant.
canvass
determine or seek opinions, votes, etc.
After canvassing the sentiments of his constituents, the congressman was confident that he represented the
majority opinion of his district.
capacious
spacious
In the capacious areas of the railroad terminal, thousands of travelers lingered while waiting for their train.
capillary
having a very fine bore
The changes in surface tension of liquids in capillary vessels is of special interest to physicists.
caprice
whim
She was an unpredictable creature, acting on caprice, never taking thought of the consequences.
caption
title; chapter heading; text under illustration
I find the captions that accompany these cartoons very clever and humorous.
captious
faultfinding
His criticisms were always captious and frivolous, never offering constructive suggestions.
carapace
shell covering the back (of a turtle, crab, etc)
At the children's zoo, Richard perched on top of the giant turtle's hard carapace as it slowly made its way
around the enclosure.
carat
unit of weight for precious stones; measure of fineness of gold
He gave her a diamond that weighed three carats and was mounted in an eighteen-carat gold band.
carcinogenic
causing cancer
Many supposedly harmless substances have been revealed to be carcinogenic.
cardinal
chief
If you want to increase your word power, the cardinal rule of vocabulary-building is to read.
caricature
distortion; burlesque
The caricatures he drew always emphasized personal weaknesses of the people he burlesqued.
carillon
set of bells capable of being played
The carillon in the bell tower of the Coca-Cola pavilion at the New York World's Fair provided musical
entertainment every hour.
carnage
destruction of life
The carnage that can be caused by atomic warfare adds to the responsibilities of our statesmen.
carping
petty criticism; fault-finding
Welcoming constructive criticism, Lexy appreciated her editor's comments, finding them free of carping.
carrion
rotting flesh of a dead body
Buzzards are nature's scavengers; they eat the carrion left behind by other predators.
cartographer
map-maker
Though not a professional cartographer, Tolkien was able to construct a map of the fictional world.
cascade
small waterfall We could not appreciate the beauty of the many cascades as we made detours around each of them to
avoid getting wet.
caste
one of the hereditary classes in Hindu society, social stratification; prestige
The differences created by caste in India must be wiped out if true democracy is to prevail in that country.
castigation
punishment; severe criticism
Sensitive even to mild criticism, Woolf could not bear castigation that she found in certain reviews.
casualty
serious or fatal accident
The number of automotive casualties on this holiday weekend was high.
catalyst
agent that brings about a chemical change while it remains unaffected and unchanged
Many chemical reactions cannot take place without the presence of a catalyst.
cataract
great waterfall; eye abnormality
She gazed with awe at the mighty cataract known as Niagara Falls.
catechism
book for religious instruction; instruction by question and answer
He taught by engaging his pupils in a catechism until they gave him the correct answer.
categorical
without exceptions; unqualified; absolute
Though the captain claimed he was never, never sick at sea, he finally qualified his categorical denial; he
was hardly ever sick at sea.
catharsis
purging or cleansing of any passage of the body
Aristotle maintained that tragedy created a catharsis by purging the soul of base concepts.
cathartic
purgative
Some drugs act as laxatives when taken in small doses but act as cathartics when taken in much larger
doses.
catholic
universal; wide-ranging liberal
He was extremely catholic in his taste and read everything he could find in the library.
caucus
private meeting of members of a party to select officers or determine policy
At the opening of Congress the members of the Democratic Party held a caucus to elect the majority
leader of the House and the party whip.
caulk
to make watertight (by plugging seams) When water from the shower leaked into the basement, we knew it was time to caulk the tiles at the edges
of the shower stall.
causal
implying a cause-and-effect relationship
The psychologist maintained there was a causal relationship between the nature of one's early childhood
experiences and one's adult personality.
caustic
burning; sarcastically biting
The critic's caustic remarks angered the hapless actors who were the subjects of his sarcasm.
cauterize
burn with hot iron or caustic
In order to prevent infection, the doctor cauterized the wound.
cavalcade
procession; parade
As described by Chaucer, the cavalcade of Canterbury pilgrims was motley group.
cavalier
casual and offhand; arrogant
Sensitive about having her ideas taken lightly, Marcia felt insulted by Mark's cavalier dismissal of her
suggestion.
cavil
make frivolous objections
I respect your sensible criticisms, but I dislike the way you cavil about unimportant details.
celerity
speed; rapidity
Hamlet resented his mother's celerity in remarrying within a month after his father's death.
celibate
abstaining from sexual intercourse; unmarried
Though the late Havelock Ellis wrote extensively about sexual customs and was considered an expert in
such matters, recent studies maintain he was celibate throughout his life.
censor
overseer of morals; person who eliminates inappropriate matter
Soldiers dislike having their mail read by a censor but understand the need for this precaution.
centaur
mythical figure, half man and half horse
I was particularly impressed by the statue of the centaur in the Roman Hall of the museum.
centigrade
denoting a widely used temperature scale (basically same as Celsius) On the centigrade thermometer, the freezing point of water is zero degrees.
centrifugal
radiating; departing from the center
Many automatic drying machines remove excess moisture from clothing by centrifugal force.
centrifuge
machine that separates substances by whirling them
At the dairy, we employ a centrifuge to separate cream from milk.
centripetal
tending toward the center
Does centripetal force or the force of gravity bring orbiting bodies to the earth's surface?
centurion
Roman army officer
Because he was in command of a company of one hundred soldiers, he was called a centurion.
cerebral
pertaining to the brain or intellect
The content of philosophical works is cerebral in nature and requires much thought.
cessation
stopping
The workers threatened a cessation of all activities if their demands were not met.
cession
yielding to another; ceding
The cession of Alaska to the United States is discussed in this chapter.
chaff
worthless products of an endeavor
When you separate the wheat from the chaff, be sure you throw out the chaff.
chalice
goblet; consecrated cup
In a small room adjoining the cathedral, many ornately decorated chalices made by the most famous
European goldsmiths were on display.
chameleon
lizard that changes color in different situations
Like the chameleon, he assumed the political coloration of every group he met.
champion
support militantly Martin Luther King, Jr., won the Nobel Peace Prize because he championed the oppressed in their struggle
for equality.
charisma
divine gift; great popular charm or appeal
Political commentators have deplored the importance of a candidate's charisma in these days of television
campaigning.
charlatan
quack; pretender to knowledge
When they realized that the Wizard didn't know how to get them back to Kansas, Dorothy and her friends
were sure they'd been duped by a charlatan.
chary
cautious; sparing or restrained about giving
A prudent, thrifty New Englander, DeWitt was as chary of investing money in junk bonds as he was chary
of paying people unnecessary compliments.
chase
ornament a metal surface by indenting
With his hammer, he carefully chased an intricate design onto the surface of the chalice.
chassis
framework and working parts of an automobile
Examining the car after the accident, the owner discovered that the body had been ruined but that the
chassis was unharmed.
chaste
pure
Her chaste and decorous garb was appropriately selected for the solemnity of the occasion.
chauvinist
blindly devoted patriot
A chauvinist cannot recognize any faults in his country, no matter how flagrant they may be.
checkered
marked by changes in fortune
During his checkered career he had lived in palatial mansions and in dreary boardinghouses.
check
stop motion; curb or restrain
Thrusting out her arm, Grandma checked Bobby's lunge at his sister. "Young man," she said, "you'd better
check your temper."
cherubic
angelic; innocent-looking
With her cheerful smile and rosy cheeks, she was a particularly cherubic child.
chimerical
fantastic; highly imaginative
Poe's chimerical stories are sometimes too morbid for reading in bed.
choreography
art of dancing
Martha Graham introduced a form of choreography that seemed awkward and alien to those who had
been brought up on classic ballet.
chronicle
report; record (in chronological order)
The gossip columnist was paid to chronicle the latest escapades of the socially prominent celebrities.
chronic
long established, as a disease
The doctors were finally able to attribute his chronic headaches and nausea to traces of formaldehyde gas
in his apartment.
churlish
boorish; rude
Dismayed by his churlish manners at the party, the girls vowed never to invite him again.
cipher
nonentity; worthless person or thing
She claimed her ex-husband was a total cipher and wondered why she had ever married him.
cipher
secret code
Lacking his code book, the spy was unable to decode the message sent to him in cipher.
circuitous
roundabout
Because of the traffic congestion on the main highways, she took a circuitous route.
circumlocution
indirect or roundabout expression
He was afraid to call spade a spade and resorted to circumlocutions to avoid direct reference to his subject.
circumscribe
limit; confine Although I do not wish to circumscribe your activities, I must insist that you complete this assignment
before you start anything else.
circumvent
outwit; baffle
In order to circumvent the enemy, we will make two preliminary attacks in other sections before starting
our major campaign.
civil
having to do with citizens or the state; courteous and polite
Although internal Revenue Service agents are civil servants, they are not always civil to suspected tax
evaders.
clairvoyant
having foresight; fortuneteller
Cassandra's clairvoyant warning was not heeded by the Trojans.
clapper
striker (tongue) of a bell
Wishing to be undisturbed by the bell, Dale wound his scarf around the clapper to muffle its striking.
claustrophobia
fear of being locked in
His fellow classmates laughed at his claustrophobia and often threatened to lock him in his room.
clavicle
collarbone
Even though he wore shoulder pads, the football player broke his clavicle during a practice scrimmage.
clemency
disposition ot be lenient; mildness, as of the weather
The lawyer was pleased when the case was sent to Judge Smith's chambers because Smith was noted for
her clemency toward first offenders.
cliche
phrase culled in meaning by repetition
High school compositions are often marred by such cliches as "strong as an ox."
climactic
relating to the highest point
When he reached the climactic portions of the book, he could not stop reading.
clout
great influence (especially political or social)
Gatsby wondered whether he had enough clout to be admitted to the exclusive club.
cloying
distasteful (because excessive); excessively sweet or sentimental
Disliking the cloying sweetness of standard wedding cakes, Jody and Tom chose a homemade carrot cake
for their reception.
coagulate
thicken; congeal; clot
Even after you remove the pudding from the burner, it will continue to coagulate as it stands.
coda
concluding section of a musical or literary composition
The piece concluded with a distinctive coda that strikingly brought together various motifs.
codicil
supplement to the body of a will
This codicil was drawn up five years after the writing of the original will.
codify
arrange (laws, rules) as a code; classify We need to take the varying rules and regulations of the different health agencies and codify them into a
national health code.
coeval
living at the same time as; contemporary
coeval with the dinosaur, the pterodactyl flourished during the Mesozoic era.
cognate
related linguistically; allied by blood; similar or akin in nature
The English word "mother" cognate to the Latin word "mater," whose influence is visible in the words
"maternal" and "maternity."
cognitive
having to do with knowing or perceiving related to the mental precesses
Though Jack was emotionally immature, his cognitive development was admirable; he was very advanced
intellectually.
cognizance
knowledge
During the election campaign, the two candidates were kept in full cognizance of the international
situation.
cog
tooth projecting from a wheel
A bicycle chain moves through a series of cogs in order to propel the bike.
cohesion
tendency to keep together
A firm believer in the maxim "Divide and conquer," the emperor, by lies and trickery, sought to disrupt the
cohesion ofthe free nations.
coiffure
hairstyle
You can make a statement with your choice of coiffure: in the 60's many African-Americans affirmed their
racial heritage by wearing their hair in Afros.
coincident
occurring at the same time
Some people find the coincident events in Hardy's novels annoyingly improbable.
colander
utensil with perforated bottom used for straining
Before serving the spaghetti, place it in a colander to drain it.
collage
work of art put together from fragments
Scraps of cloth, paper doilies, and old photographs all went into her collage.
collateral
security given for loan
The sum you wish to borrow is so large that it must be secured by collateral.
collate
examine in order to verify authenticity; arrange in order
They collated the newly found manuscripts to determine their age.
colloquial
pertaining to conversational or common speech
Your use of colloquial expressions in a formal essay such as the one you have presented spoils the effect
you hope to achieve.
colloquy
informal discussion
I enjoy our colloquies but I sometimes wish that they could be made more formal and more searching.
colossus
gigantic statue
The legendary Colossus of Rhodes, bronze statue of the sun god that dominated the harbor of the Greek
seaport, was one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
comatose
in a coma; extremely sleepy
The long-winded orator soon had his audience in a comatose state.
combustible
easily burned
After the recent outbreak of fires in private homes, the fire commissioner ordered that all combustible
materials be kept in safe containers.
comestible
something fit to be eaten
The roast turkey and other comestibles, the wines, and the excellent service made this Thanksgiving dinner
particularly memorable.
comeuppance
rebuke; deserts
After his earlier rudeness, we were delighted to see him get his comeuppance.
commandeer
to draft for military purposes; to take for public use
The policeman commandeered the first car that approached and ordered the driver to go to the nearest
hospital.
commemorative
remembering; honoring
The new commemorative stamp honors the late Martin Luther King, Jr.
commodious
spacious and comfortable
After sleeping in a small roadside cabins, they found their hotel suite commodious.
communal
held in common; of a group of people
When they were divorced, they had trouble dividing their communal property.
compact
agreement; contract
The signers of the Mayflower Compact were establishing a form of government.
compact
tightly packed; firm; brief
His short, compact body was better suited to wrestling than to basketball.
compatible
harmonious; in harmony with
They were compatible neighbors, never quarreling over unimportant matters.
compelling
overpowering; irresistible in effect
The prosecutor presented a well-reasoned case, but the defense attorney's compelling arguments for
leniency won over the jury.
compendium
brief, comprehensive summary
This text can serve as a compendium of the tremendous amount of new material being developed in this
field.
compensatory
making up for; repaying
Can a compensatory education program make up for the inadequate schooling he received in earlier years?
compilation
listing of statistical information in tabular or book form
The compilation of available scholarships serves a very valuable purpose.
complaisant
trying to please; obliging
The courtier obeyed the king's orders in a complaisant manner.
complement
complete; consummate; make perfect
The waiter recommended a glass of port to complement the cheese.
compliance
conformity in fulfilling requirements; readiness to yield
The design for the new school had to be in compliance with the local building code.
complicity
participation; involvement
You cannot keep your complicity in this affair secret very long; you would be wise to admit your
involvement immediately.
component
element; ingredient
I wish all the components of my stereo system were working at the same time.
compound
combine; constitute; pay interest; increase
The makers of the popular cold remedy compounded a nasal decongestant with an antihistamine.
comprehensive
thorough; inclusive
This book provides a comprehensive review of verbal and math skills for the SAT.
comprise
include; consist of
If the District of Columbia were to be granted a statehood, the United States of America would comprise
fifty-onestates, not just fifty.
compromise
adjust; endanger the interests or reputation of
Your presence at the scene of the dispute compromises our claim to neutrality in this matter.
compunction
remorse
The judge was especially severe in this sentencing because he felt that the criminal had shown no
compunction for his heinous crime.
concatenate
link as in a chain It is difficult to understand how these events could concatenate as they did without outside assistance.
concave
hollow
The back-packers found partial shelter from the storm by huddling against the concave wall of the cliff.
concede
admit; hield
Despite all the evidence Monica had assembled, Mark refused to concede that she was right.
conceit
whimsical idea; extravagant metaphor
He was an entertaining companion, always expressing himself in amusing conceits and witty turns of
phrase.
concerted
mutually agreed on; done together
The girl scouts in the troop made a concerted effort to raise funds for their annual outing, and emitted a
concerted sigh when their leader announced that they had reached their goal.
concession
an act of yielding
Before they could reach an agreement, both sides had to make certain concessions.
concise
brief and compact
When you define a new word, be concise; the shorter the definition, the easier it is to remember.
conclusive
decisive; ending all debate
When the stolen books turned up in John's locker, we finally had conclusive evidence of the identity of the
mysterious thief.
concoct
prepare by combining; make up in concert
How did the inventive chef ever concoct such strange dish?
concord
harmony
Watching Tweediedum and Tweedledee battle, Alice wondered why the two brothers could not manage to
life in concord.
concurrent
happening at the same time
In America, the colonists were resisting the demands of the mother contry; at the concurrent moment in
France, the middle class was sowing the seeds of rebellion.
condescend
bestow courtesies with a superior air
The king condescended to grant an audience to the friends of the condemned man.
condone
overlook; forgive; give tacit approval; excuse
Unlike Widow Douglass, who condoned Huck's minor offenses, Miss Watson did nothing but scold.
conduit
aqueduct; passageway for fluids
Water was brought to the army in the desert by an improvised conduit from the adjoining mountain.
conflagration
great fire
In the conflagration that followed the 1906 earthquake, much of San Francisco was destroyed.
conformity
harmony; agreement
In conformity with our rules and regulations, I am calling a meeting of our organization.
congeal
freeze; coagulate
His blood congealed in his veins as he saw the dread monster rush toward him.
conglomeration
mass of material sticking together
In such a conglomeration of miscellaneous statistics, it was impossible to find a single area of analysis.
congruence
correspondence of parts; harmonious relationship
The student demonstrated the congruence of the two triangles by using the hypotenuse-arm theorem.
conifer
pine tree; cone-bearing tree
According to geologists, the conifers were the first plants to bear flowers.
conjugal
pertaining to marriage
Their dreams of conjugal bliss were shattered as soon as their temperaments clashed.
conjure
summon a devil; proactive magic; imagine; invent
He conjured up an image of a reformed city and had the voters completely under his spell.
connivance
pretense of ignorance of something wrong; assistance; permission to offend
With the connivance of his friends, he plotted to embarrass the teacher.
connoisseur
person competent to act as judge of art, ect.; a lover of an art
She had developed into a connoisseur of fine china.
connotation
suggested or implied meaning of an expression
Foreigners frequently are unaware of the connotations of the words they use.
connubial
pertaining to maffige or the matrimonial state
In his telegram, he wished the newlyweds a lifetime of connubial bliss.
consanguinity
kinship
The lawsuit developed into a test of the consanguinity of the claimant to the estate.
conscript
draftee; person forced into military service
Did Rambo volunteer to fight in Vietnam, or was he a conscript, drafted against his will?
consequential
pompous; self-important
Convinced of his own importance, the actor strutted about the dressing room with a consequential air.
conservatory
school of the fine arts (especiallymusic or drama)
A gifted violinist, Marya was selected to study at the conservatory.
consign
deliver officially; entrust; set apart
The court consigned the child to her paternal grandmother's care.
consistency
absence of contradictions; dependability; uniformity; degree of thickness
Holmes judged puddings and explanations on their consistency; he liked his puddings without lumps and
his explanations without improbabilities.
console
lessen sadness or disappointment; give comfort
When her father died, Marius did his best to console Cosette.
constituent
supporter
The congressman received hundreds of letters from angry constituents after the Equal Rights Amendment
failed to pass.
constraint
compulsion; repression of feelings
There was a feeling of constraint in the room because no one dared to criticize the speaker.
construe
explain; interpret
If I construe your remarks correctly, you disagree with the theory already advanced.
consummate
complete
I have never seem anyone who makes as many stupid errors as you do; you must be a consummate idiot.
contagion
infection
Fearing contagion, they took drastic steps to prevent the spread of the disease.
contaminate
pollute
The sewage system of the city so contaminated the water that swimming was forbidden.
contempt
scorn; disdain Even if you feel superior to others, it is unwise to show your contempt for them.
contend
struggle; compete; assert earnestly
In Revolt of the Black Athlete, sociologist Harry Edwards contends that young black athletes have been
exploited by some college recruiters.
context
writings preceding and following the passage quoted
Because these lines are taken out of context, they do not convey the message the author intended.
contiguous
adjacent to; touching upon
The two countries are contiguous for a few miles; then they are separated by the gulf.
contingent
conditional
The continuation of this contract is contingent on the quality of your first output.
contortions
twistings; distortions
As the effects of the opiate wore away, the contortions of the patient became more violent and
demonstrated how much pain she was enduring.
contraband
illegal trade; smuggling; smuggled goods
The coast guard tries to prevent contraband in U.S. waters.
contravene
contradict; oppose: infringe on or transgress
Mr. Barrett did not expect his frail daughter Elizabeth to contravene his will by eloping with Robert
Browning.
contrived
forced; artificial; not spontaneous
Feeling ill at ease with his new in-laws; James made a few contrived attempts at conversation and then
retreated into silence.
controvert
oppose with arguments; contradict
To controvert your theory will require much time but it is essential that we disprove it.
conundrum
riddle; difficult problem
During the long car ride, she invented conundrums to entertain the children.
convene
assemble
Because much is needed legislation had to be enacted, the governor ordered the legislature to convene in
special session by January 15.
conventional
ordinary; typical
His conventional upbringing left him wholly unprepared for his wife's eccentric family.
convention
social or moral custom; established practice
Flying in the face of convention, George Sand (Amandine Dudevant) shocked her contemporaries by
taking lovers and wearing men's clothes.
converge
come together
Marchers converged on Washington for the great Save Our Cities-Save Our Children March.
convert
one who has adopted a different religion or opinion
On his trip to Japan, though the President spoke at length about the merits of American automobiles, he
made few converts to his beliefs.
conveyance
vehicle; transfer
During the transit strike, commuters used various kinds of conveyances.
dais
raised platform for guests of honor
When he approached the dais, he was greeted by cheers from the people who had come to honor him.
dally
trifle with; procrastinate
Laertes told Ophelia that Hamlet could only dally with her affections.
dapper
neat and trim
In "The Odd Couple," Tony Randall played Felix Unger, an excessively dapper soul who could not stand
to have a hair out of place.
daub
smear (as with paint)
From the way he daubed his paint on the canvas, I could tell he knew nothing of oils.
dauntless
bold
Despite the dangerous nature of the undertaking, the dauntless soldier volunteered for the assignment.
debonair
friendly; aiming to please
The debonair youth was liked by all who met him, because of his cheerful and obliging manner.
debris
rubble
A full year after the earthquake in Mexico City, workers were still carting away the debris.
debunk
expose as false, exaggerated, worthless, etc.; ridicule
Pointing out that he conhsistently had voted afainst strenghtening antipollution legislation, reporters
debunked the candidate's claim that he was a fervent environmentalist.
debutante
yound woman making formal entrance into society
As a debutante, she was often mentioned in the society columns of the newspapers.
decadence
decay
The moral decadence of the people was reflected in the lewd literature of the period.
decimate
kill, usually one out of ten
We do more to decimate our population in automobile accidents than we do in war.
decollete
having a low-cut neckline Fashion decrees that evening gowns be decollete this season; bare shoulders are again the vogue.
decomposition
decay
Despite the body's advanced state of decomposition, the police were able to identify the murdered man.
decorum
propriety; seemliness
Shocked by the unruly behavior, the teacher criticized the class for its lack of decorum.
decrepitude
state of collagse caused by illness or old age
I was unprepared for the state of decrepitude in which I had found my old friend; he seemed to have aged
twenty years in six months.
decry
express strong disapproval of ; disparage
The founder of the Children's Defense Fund, Marian Wright Edelman, strongly decries the lack of
financial and moral support for children in America today.
default
failure to do
As a result of her husband's failure to appear in court, she was granted a divorce by default.
defeatist
resigned to defeat; accepting defeat as a natural outcome
If you maintain your defeatist attitude, you will never succeed.
defection
desertion
The children, who had made him an idol, were hurt most by his defection from our cause.
deference
courteous regard for another's wish
In deference to his desires, the employers granted him a holiday.
definitive
most reliable or complee
Carl Sandburg's Abraham Lincoln may be regarded as the definitive work on the life of the Great
Emancipator.
defoliate
destroy leaves
In Vietnam the army made extensive use of chemical agents to defoliate the woodlands.
defray
provide ofr the payment of
Her employer offered to defray the costs of her postgraduate education.
defrock
to strip a priest or minister of church authority
We knew the minister had violated church regulations, but we had not realized his offense was serious
enough to cause him to be defrocked.
defunct
dead; no longer in use or existence
The lawyers sought to examine the books of the defunct corporation.
degenerate
become worse; deteriorate
As the fight dragged on, the champion's style degenerated until he could barely keep on his feet.
dehydrate
remove water from; dry out
Vigorous dancing quickly dehydrates the body; between dances, be sure to drink more water than normal.
deleterious
harmful
Workers in nuclear research must avoid the deleterious effects of radioactive substances.
deliberate
consider; ponder; unhurried
Offered the new job, she asked for time to deliberate before she made her decision.
delta
flat plain of mud or sand between branches of a river
His dissertation discussed the effect of intermittent flooding on the fertility of the Nile delta.
delusive
deceptive; raising vain hopes
Do not raise your hopes on the basis of his delusive promises.
demagogue
person who appeals to people's prejudice; false leader
He was accused of being a demogogue because he made promises that aroused futile hopes in his listeners.
demean
degrade; humiliate
He felt that he would demean himself if he replied to the scurrilous letter.
demographic
related to population balance
In conducting a survey, one should take into account demographic trends in the region.
demolition
destruction
One of the major aims of the air force was the complete demolition of all means of transportation by the
bombing of rail lines and the terminals.
demotic
pertaining to the people
He lamented the passing of aristocratic society and maintained that a demotic society would lower the
nation's standards.
demur
delay; object
To demur at this time will only worsen the already serious situation; now is the time for action.
denigrate
blacken
All attempts to denigrate the character of our late President have failed; the people still love him and
cherish his memory.
denotation
meaning; distinguishing by name
A dictionary will always give us the denotation of a word; frequently, it will always give us its connotation.
denouement
outcome; final development of the plot of a play or other literary work
The play was childishly written; the denouement was obvious to sophisticated theatergoers as early as the
middle of the first act.
denounce
condemn; critcize
The reform candidate denounced the corrupt city officers for having betrayed the public's trust.
deplete
reduce; exhaust
We must wait until we deplete our present inventory before we order replacements.
deplicity
double-dealing; hypocrisy
People were shocked and dismayed when they learned of his duplicity in this affair, as he had always
seemed honest and straightforward.
deplore
regret
Although I deplore the vulgarity of your language, I defend your right to express yourself freely.
deploy
move troops so that the battle line is extended at the expense of depth
The general ordered the battalion to deploy in order to meet the offensive of the enemy.
depose
dethrone; remove form office
The army attempted to depose the king and set up a military government.
deprecate
express disapproval of; protest against; belittle
A firm believer in old-fashioned courtesy, Miss Post deprecated the modern tendency to address new
acquaintances by their first names.
derelict
neglectful of duty; abandoned
The corporal who fell asleep while on watch was thrown into the guardhouse for being derelic in his duty.
derivative
unoriginal; obtained from another source
Although her early poetry was clearly derivative in nature, the critics thought she had promise and
eventually would find her own voice.
dermatologist
one who studies the skin and its diseases
I advise you to consult a dermatologist about your acne.
desiccate
dry up
A tour of this smokehouse will give you an idea of how the pioneers used to desiccate food in order to
preserve it.
desolate
rob of joy; lay waste to; forsake
The bandits desolated the countryside, burning farms and carrying off the harvest.
despondent
depressed; gloomy To the dismay of his parents, he became more and more depondent every day.
desultory
aimless; haphazard; digressing at random
In prison Malcolm X set himself the task of reading straight through the dictionary; to him reading was
purposeful, not desultory.
detached
emotionally removed; calm and objective; indifferent
A psychoanalyst must maintain a detached point of view and stay uninvolved with her patients' perssonal
lives.
determinate
having a fixed order of procedure; invariable
At the royal wedding, the procession of the nobles followed a determinate order of precedence.
deterrent
something that discourages; hindrance
Does the threat of capital punishment serve as a deterrent to potential killers?
detraction
slandering; aspersion
He is offended by your frequent detractions of his ability as a leader.
detrimental
harmful; damaging
Your acceptance of her support will ultimately prove detrimental rather than helpful to your cause.
devious
going astray; erratic
Your devious behavior in this matter puzzles me since you are usually direct and straightforward.
devoid
lacking
He was devoid of any personal desire for gain in his endeavor to secure improvement in the community.
devolve
deputize; pass to others
It devolved upon us, the survivors, to arrange peace terms with the enemy.
dexterous
skillful
The magician was so dexterous that we could not follow his movements as he performed his tricks.
dialectic
art of debate
I am not skilled in dialectic and therefore, cannot answer your arguments as forcefully as I wish.
diatribe
bitter scolding; invective
During the lengthy diatribe delivered by his opponent he remained calm and self-controlled.
dichotomy
branching into two parts
The dichotomy of our legislative system provides us with many safeguards.
dictum
arthoritative and weighty statement
She repeated the statement as though it were the dictum of the most expert worker in the group.
didactic
teaching; instructional; preaching or moralizing
The didactic qualities of his poetry overshadow its literary qualities; the lesson he teaches is more
memorable than the lines.
die
device for stamping or impressing; mold
In coining pennies, workers at the old mint squeezed sheets of softened copper between two dies.
diffusion
wordiness; spreading in all directions like a gas
Your composition suffers from a diffusion of ideas; try to be more compact.
digression
wandering away from the subject
Nobody minded when Professor Renoir's lectures wandered away from their offical theme; his digressions
were always more fascinating than the topic of the day.
dilapidated
ruined because of neglect
We felt that the dilapidated building needed several coats of paint.
dilemma
problem; choice of two unsatisfactory alternatives
In this dilemma, he knew no one to whom he could turn for advice.
dilettante
aimless follower of the arts; amateur; dabbler
He was not serious in his painting; he was rather a dilettante.
diligence
steadiness of effort; persisten hard work
Her employers were greatly impressed by her diligence and offered her a partnership in the firm.
diminution
lessening; reduction in size
The blockaders hoped to achieve victory as soon as the diminution of the enemy's supplies became serious.
dinghy
small boat (often ship's boat)
In the film Lifeboat, an ill-assorted group of passengers from a sunken ocean liner are marooned at sea in a
dinghy.
dingy
dull; not fresh; cheerless
Refusing to be depressed by her dingy studio apartment, Bea spent the weekend polishing the floors and
windows and hanging bright posters on the walls.
dint
means; effort
By dint of much hard work, the volunteers were able to control the raging forest fire.
din
continued loud noise
The din of the jackhammers outside the classroom window drowned out the lecturer's voice.
diorama
like-size, three-dimensional scene from nature or history
Because they dramatically pose actual stuffed animals against realistic painted landscapes, the dioramas at
the Museum of Natural History particularly impress high school biology students.
disabuse
correct a false impression; undeceive
I will attempt to diabuse you of your impression of my client's guilt; I know he is innocent.
disaffected
disloyal
Once the most loyal of Gorbachev's supporters, Shverdnaze found himself becoming increasingly
disaffected.
disapprobation
disapproval; condemnation
The conservative father viewed his daughter's radical boyfriend with disapprobation.
disarray
a disorderly or untidy state
After the New Year's party, the once orderly house was in total disarray.
disavowal
denial; disclaiming
His disavowal of his part in the conspiracy was not believed by the jury.
discerning
mentally quick and observant; having insight
Because he was considered the most discerning member of the firm, he was assigned the most difficult
cases.
disclaim
disown; renounce claim to
If I grant you this previlege, will you disclaim all other rights?
disclose
reveal
Although competitors offered him bribes, he refused to disclose any information about his company's
forthcoming product.
discombobulated
confused; discomposed
The novice square dancer became so discombobulated that he wandered into wrong set.
disconcert
confuse; upset; embarrass
The lawyer was disconcerted by the evidence produced by her adversary.
discourse
formal disscussion; conversation
The young Plato was drawn to the Agora to hear the philosophical discourse of Socrates and his followers.
discredit
defame; destroy confidence in; disbelieve The campaign was highly negative in tone; each candidate tried to discredit the other.
discrepancy
lack of consistency; difference
The police noticed some discrepancies in his description of the crime and did not believe him.
discretion
prudence; ability to adjust actions to circumstances
Use your discretion in this matter and do not discuss it with anyone.
discrimination
ability to see differences; prejudice
They feared he lacked sufficient discrimination to judge complex works of modern art.
disembark
go ashore; unload cargo from a ship
Before the passengers could disembark, they had to pick up their passports from the ship's purser.
disenfranchise
deprive of a civil right
The imposition if the poll tax effectively disenfranchised poor Southern blacks, who lost their right to vote.
disengage
uncouple; separate; disconnect
A standard movie routine involves the hero's desperate attempt to disengage a railroad car from a moving
train.
disgorge
surrender something; efect; vomit
Unwilling to disgorge the cash he had stolen from the pension fund, the embezzler tried to run away.
disingenuous
not naive; sophisticated Although he was young, his remarks indicated that he was disingenous.
dislodge
remove (forcible)
Thrusting her fist up under the choking man's lower ribs, Margaret used the Heimlich maneuver to
dislodge the food caught in this throat.
dismember
cut into small parts
When the Austrian Empire was dismembered, several new countries were established.
dismiss
eliminate from consideration; reject
Believing in John's love for her, she dismissed the notion that he might be unfaithful.
disparate
basically different; unrelated
It is difficult, if not impossible, to organize these disparate elements into a coherent whole.
disparity
difference; condition of inequality
The disparity in their ages made no difference at all.
dispassionate
calm; impartial
In a dispassionate analysis of the problem, he carefully examined the causes of the conflict and proceeded
to suggest suitable remedies.
dispatch
speediness; prompt execution; message sent with all due speed
Young Napoleon defeated the enemy with all possible dispatch; he then sent a dispatch to headquarters,
informing his commander of the great victory.
dispel
scatter; drive away; cause to vanish
The bright sunlight eventually dispelled the morning mist.
dispirited
lacking in spirit
The coach used all the tricks at his command to buoy up the enthusiasm of his team, which I had become dispirited at the loss of the star player.
disport
amuse
The popularity of Florida as a winter resort is constantly increasing; each year, thousands more disport
themselves at Miami and Palm Beach.
disputatious
argumentative; fond of argument
People avoided discussing contemporary problems with him because of his disputatious manner.
disquisition
a formal systematic inquiry; an explanation of the results of a formal inquiry
In his disquisition, he outlined the steps he had taken in reaching his conclusions.
dissection
analysis; cutting apart in order to examine
The dissection of frogs on the laboratory is particularly unpleasant to some students.
dissemble
disguise; pretend
Even though John tried to dissemble his motive for taking modern dance, we all knew there not to dance
but to meet girls.
disseminate
scatter (like seeds)
The invention of the radio helped propagandists to disseminate their favorite doctrines very easily.
dissent
disagree
In a landmark Supreme Court decision, Justice Marshall dissented from the majority opinion.
dissertation
formal essay
In order to earn a graduate degree from many of our universities, a candidate is frequently required to
prepare a dissertation on some scholarly subject.
dissident
dissenting; rebellious
In the purge that followed the student demonstrations at Tianamen Square, the government hunted down
the dissident students and their supporters.
dissimulate
pretend; conceal by feigning
She tried to dissimulate her grief by her exuberant attitude.
dissolution
disintegration; looseness in morals
The profligacy and dissolution of life in Caligula's Rome appall some historians.
dissonance
discord
Some contemporary musicians deliberately use dissonance to achieve certain effects.
distant
reserved or aloof; cold in manner His distant greeting made me feel unwelcome from the start.
distend
expand;swell out
I can tell when he is under stress by the way the veins distend on his forehead.
distill
purify; refine; concentrate
A moonshiner distills mash into whiskey; an epigrammatist distills thoughts into quips.
distortion
twisting out of shape
It is difficult to believe the newspaper accounts of this event because of the distortions and exaggerations
of the reporters.
distrait
absentminded
Because of his concentration on the problem, the professor often appeared distrait and unconcerned about
routine.
distraught
upset; distracted by anxiety
The distraught parents frantically searched the ravine for their lost child.
diurnal
daily
A farmer cannot neglect his diurnal tasks at any time; cows, for example, must be milked regularly.
diva
operatic singer; prima donna
Although world famous as a diva, she did not indulge in fits of temerament.
divergent
differing; deviating
The two witnesses presented the jury with remarkably divergent accounts of the same epipode.
diverge
vary; go in different directionsfrom the same point
The spokes of the wheel diverge from the hub.
diverse
differing in some characteristics; various
There are diverse ways of approaching this problem.
diversion
act of turning aside; pastime
After studying for several hours, he needed a diversion from work.
diversity
variety; dissimilitude
The diversity of colleges in this country indicates that many levels of ability are being served.
divine
perceive intuitively; foresee the future
Nothing infuriated Tom more than Aunt Polly's ability to divine when he was not telling the truth.
docile
obedient; easily managed
As docile as he seems today, that old lion was once a ferocious, snarling beast.
docket
program asfor trial; book where such entries are made
The case of Smith v. Jones was entered in the docket for July 15.
doctrinaire
unable to compromise about points of doctrine; dogmatic; unyielding
Weng had hoped that the student-led democracy movement might bring about change in China, but the
repressive response of the doctrinaire hard-liners crushed his dreams of democracy.
document
provide written evidence
She kept all the receipts from her business trip in order to document her expenses for the firm.
doddering
shaky; infirm from old age
Although he is not as yet a doddering and senile old man, his ideas and opinions no longer can merit the
respect we gave them years ago.
dogged
determined;stubborn
Les Miserables tells of Inspector Javert's long, dogged pursuit of the criminal Jean Valjean.
doggerel
poorverse
Although we find occasional snatches of genuine poetry in her work, most of her writing is mere doggerel.
doldrums
blues; listlessness; slack period
Once the excitement of meeting her deadline was over, she found herself in the doldrums.
dolorous
sorrowfrl
He found the dolorous lamentations of the bereaved family emotionally disturbing and he left as quickly as
he could.
dolt
stupid person
I thought I was talking to a mature audience; instead, I find myself addressing a pack of dolts.
domicile
home
Althoughhis legal domicile was in New York City, his work kept him away from his residence for many
years.
don
put on
When Clark Kent had to don his Superman outfit, he changed clothes in a convenient phone booth.
dormant
sleeping; lethargic; torpid
Sometimes dormant talents in our friends surprise those of us who never realize how gifted our
acquaintances really are.
dormer
window projecting from roof
In remodeling the attic into a bedroom, we decided that we needed to put in dormers to provide sufficient
ventilation for the new room.
dorsal
relating to the back of an animal
A shark may be identified by its dorsal fin, which projects above the surface of the ocean.
dossier
file of documents on a subject
Ordered by J. Edgar Hoover to investigate the senator, the FBI compiled a complete dossier.
dote
be excessively fond of; show signs of mental decline
Not only grandmothers bore you with stories about their brilliant grandchildren; grandfathers dote on the
littel rascals, too.
downcast
disheartened; sad
Cheerful and optimistic by nature, Beth was never downcast despite the difficulties she faced.
drab
dull; lacking color; cheerless
The Dutch woman's drab winter coat contrasted with the distinctive, colorful native costume she wore
beneath it.
droll
queer and amusing
He was a popular guest because his droll anecdotes were always entertaining.
drone
idle person; male bee
Content to let his wife support him, the would-be writer was in reality nothing but a drone.
drone
talk dully; buzz or murmur like a bee
On a gorgeous day, who wants to be stuck in a classroom listening to the teacher drone?
dross
waste matter; worhtless impurities
Many methods have been devised to separate the valuable metal from the dross.
ductility
malleability; flexibility; ability to be drawn out
Copper wire has many industrial uses because of its extreme ductility.
dulcet
sweet sounding
The dulcet sounds of the birds at dawn were soon drowned out by the roar of traffic passing our motel.
dupe
someone easily fooled
While the gullible Watson often was made a dupe by unscrupulous parties, Sherlock Holmes was far more
difficult to fool.
duress
forcible restraint, especially unlawfully
The hostages were held under duress until the prisoners' demands were met.
dutiful
respectful; obedient
The dutiful child grew up to be a conscientious adult aware of his civic obligations.
dynamic
active; efficient
A dynamic government is necessary to meet the demands of a changing society.
ebullient
showing excitement; overflowing with enthusiasm His ebullient nature could not be repressed.
eccentricity
oddity; idiosyncrasy
Some of his friends tried to account for his rudeness to strangers as the eccentricity of genius.
ecclesiastic
pertaining to the church
The minister donned his ecclesiastic garb and walked to the pulpit.
eclectic
selective; composed of elements drawn from disparate sources
His style of interior decoration was eclectic: bits and pieces of furnishings from widely divergent periods,
strikingly juxtaposed to create a unique color.
eclipse
darken; extinguish; surpass
The new stock market high eclipsed the previous record set in 1985.
ecologist
person concerned with the interrelationship between living organisms and their environment
The ecologist was concerned that the new dam would upset the natural balance of the creatures living in
Glen Canyon.
economy
efficiency or conciseness in using something
Reading the epigrams of Pope, I admire the economy of his verse: in few words he conveys worlds of
meaning.
ecstasy
rapture, joy; any overpowering emotion
The announcement that the war had ended brought on an ecstasy that resulted in many uncontrolled
celebrations.
eddy
swirling current of water, air, etc.
The water in the tide pool was still, except for an occasional eddy.
edify
instruct; correct morally
Although his purpose was to edify and not to entertain his audience, many of his listeners were amused
and not enlightened.
effervescence
inner excitement; exuberance
Nothing depressed her for long; her natural effervescence soon reasserted itself.
effete
worn out; exhausted; barren
The literature of the age reflected the effete condition of the writers; no new ideas were forthcoming.
efficacy
power to produce desired effect
The efficacy of this drug depends on the regularity of the dosage.
effluvium
noxious smell
Air pollution has become a serious problem in our major cities; the effluvium and the poisons in the air are
hazards to life.
effusive
pouring forth; gushing
Her effusive manner of greeting her friends finally began to irritate them.
egoism
excessive interest in one's self; belief that one should be interested in one's self rather than in
others
His egoism prevented him from seeing the needs of his colleagues.
egotism
conceit; vanity
She thought so much of herself that we found her egotism unwarranted and irritating.
egregious
notorious; conspicuously bad; shocking
She was an egregious liar; we all knew better than to believe a word she said.
egress
exit
Barnum's sign "To the Egress" fooled many people who thought they were going to see an animal and
instead found themselves in the street.
elated
overjoyed; in high spirits
Grinning from ear to ear, Bonnie Blair was clearly elated by her Olympic victory.
elegy
poem or song expressing lamentation On the death of Edward King, Milton composed the elegy "Lycidas."
elixir
cure-all; something invigorating
The news of her chance to go abroad acted on her like an elixir.
ellipsis
omission of words from a text
Sometimes an ellipsis can lead to a dangling modifier, as in the sentence "Once dressed, you should
refrigerate the potato salad.
elliptical
oval; ambiguous, either purposely or because key words have been left out
An elliptical billiad ball wobbles because it is not perfectly round; an elliptical remark baffles because it is
not perfectly clear.
eloquence
expressiveness; persuasive speech
The crowds were stirred by Martin Luther King's eloquence.
elusive
evasive; baffling; hard to grasp
His elusive dreams of wealth were costly to those of his friends who supported him financially.
emancipate
set free
At first, the attempts of the Abolitioninst to emancipate the slaves were unpopular in New England as well
as in the South.
embargo
ban on commerce or other activity
As a result of the embargo, trade with colonies was at a standstill.
embark
commence; go on board a boat; begin a journey
In devoting herself to the study of gorillas, Dian Fossey embarked on a course of action that was to cost
her her life.
embed
enclose; place in something
Tales of actual historical figures like King Alfred have become embedded in legends.
embellish
adorn My mother-in-law's stories about her journey from Russia made us laugh because she embellished the bare
facts of her travels with humourous acecdotes.
embroil
throw into confusion
He became embroiled in the heated discussion when he tried to arbitrate the dispute.
embryonic
undeveloped; rudimentary
The evil of class and race hatred must be eliminated while it is still in an embryonic state; otherwise, it may
grow to dangerous proportions.
emendation
correction of errors; improvement
Please initial all the emendations you have made in this contract.
emetic
substance causing vomiting
The use of an emetic like mustard is useful in cases of poisoning.
eminent
high; lofty
After his appointment to this emiment position, he seldom had time for his former friends.
emissary
agent; messenger
The secretary of State was sent as the President's special emissary to the conference on disarmament.
emolument
salary; compensation
In addition to the emolument this position offers, you must consider the social prestige it carries with it.
empathy
ability to identify with another's feelings, ideas, etc
What made Ann such a fine counselor was her empathy, her ability to put herself in her client's place and
feel his emotions as if they were her own.
empirical
based on experience
He distrusted hunches and intuitive flashes; he placed his reliance entirely on empirical data.
emulate
rival; imitate
As long as our political leaders emulate the virtues of the great leaders of this country, we shall flourish.
encomiastic
praising; eulogistic
Some critics believe that his encomiastic statements about Napoleon were inspired by his desire for
material advancement rather than by an honest belief in the Emperor's genius.
encomium
high praise; eulogy
Uneasy with the encomiums expressed by his supporters, Tolkien felt unworthy of such high praise.
encompass
surround
Although we were encompassed by enemy forces, we were cheerful for we were well stocked and could
withstand a siege until our allies joined us.
encroachment
gradual intrusion
The encroachment of the factories upon the neighborhood lowered the value of the real estate.
endearment
fond word or act
Your gifts and endearments cannot make me forget your earlier insolence.
endemic
prevailinig among a specific group of people or in a specific are or country
This disease is endemic in this part of the world; more than 80 percent of the population are at one time or
another affected by it.
endorse
approve; support
Everyone waited to see which one of the rival candidates for the city council the mayor would endorse.
enduring
lasting; surviving
Keats believed in the enduring power of great art, which outlast its creator's brief lives.
enervate
weaken
She was slow to recover from her illness; even a short walk to the window evervated her.
enfranchise
admit to the rights of citizenship (especially the right to vote)
Although blacks were enfranchised shortly after the Civil War, women did not receive the right to vote
until 1920.
engage
attract; hire; pledge oneself; confront
"Your case has engaged my interest, my lord," said Holmes, "You many engage my services."
engender
cause; produce
To receive praise for real accomplishments engenders self-confidence in a child.
enhance
advance; improve
Your chances for promotion in this department will be enhanced if you take some more courses in evening
school.
enjoin
command; order; forbid
The owners of the company asked the court to enjoin the union from picketing the plant.
enmity
ill will; hatred
At Camp David President Carter labored to bring an end to the enmity that prevented Egypt and Israel
from living in peace.
ennui
boredom
The monotonous routine of hopital life induced a feeling of ennui which made him moody and irritable.
enormity
hugeness (in a bad sense)
He did not realize the enormity of his crime until he saw what suffering he had caused.
enrapture
please intensely
The audience was enraptured by the freshness of the voices and the excellent orchestration.
ensconce
settle comfortably
The parents thought that their children were ensconced safely in the private school and decided to leave
for Europe.
entity
real being
As soon as the charter was adopted, the United Nations became an entity and had to be considered as a
factor in world diplomacy.
entomology
study of insects
I found entomology the least interesting part of my course in biology; studying insects bored me.
entrance
put under a spell; carry away with emotion
Shafts of sunlight on a wall could entrance her and leave her spellbound.
entree
entrance; a way in
Because of his wealth and social position, he had entree into the most exclusive circles.
entrepreneur
businessperson; contractor
Opponents of our present tax program argue that it discourages entrepreneurs from trying new fields of
business activity.
enumerate
list; mention one by one
Huck hung his head in shame as Miss Watson enumerated his many flaws.
epaulet
ornament worn on the shoulder (of a uniform, etc.)
The shoulder loops on Sam Spade's trench coat are the nonmilitary counterparts of the fringed epaulets on
George Washington's uniform.
epicure
connoisseur of food and drink
epicures frequent this restaurant because it features exotic wines and dishes.
epic
long heroic poem, novel, or similar work of art
Kurosawa's film Seven Samurai is an epic portraying the struggle of seven warriors to destroy a band of
robbers.
epigram
witty thought or saying, usually short
Poor Richard's epigrams made Benjamin Franklin famous.
epilogue
short speech at conclusion of dramatic work
The audience was so disappointed in the play that many did not remain to hear the epilogue.
episodic
loosely connected
Though he tried to follow the plot of Gravity's Rainbow, John found the novel too episodic.
epistemologist
philosopher who studies the nature of knowledge
"What is more important, a knowledge of nature of the nature of knowledge?" the epistemologist asked the
naturalist.
epitaph
inscription in memory of a dead person
In his will, he dictated the epitaph he wanted placed on his tombstone.
epithet
word or phrase characteristically used to describe a person or thing
So many kings of France were named Charles that modern students need epithets to tell them apart:
Charles the Wise, for example, was someone far different from Charles the Fat.
epitome
perfect example or embodiment
Singing "I am the very model of a modern Major-General" in The Pirates of Penzance, Major-General
Stanley proclaimed himself the epitome of an officer and a gentleman.
equable
tranquil; steady; uniform
After the hot summers and cold winters of New England, he found the climate of the West Indies equable
and pleasant.
equanimity
calmness of temperament
In his later years, he could look upon the foolishness of the world with equanimity and humor.
equestrian
rider on horseback
These paths in the park are reserved for equestrians and their steeds.
equinox
period of equal days and nights; the beginning of spring and autumn
The vernal equinox is usually marked by heavy rainstorms.
equipoise
balance; balancing force; equilibrium
The high-wire acrobat used his pole as an equipose to overcome the swaying caused by the wind.
equitable
fair; impartial
I am seeking an equitable solution to this dispute, one which will be fair and acceptable to both sides.
equivocate
lie; mislead; attempt to conceal the truth
The audience saw through his attempts to equivocate on the subject under discussion and ridiculed his
remarks.
erotic
pertaining to passionate love
The erotic passages in this novel should be removed as they are merely pornographic.
errant
wandering
Many a charming tale has been written about the knights-errant who helped the weak and punished the
guilty during the Age of Chivalry.
erudite
learned; scholarly
His erudite writing was difficult to read because of the many allusions which were unfamiliar to most
readers.
escapade
prank; flighty conduct
The headmaster could not regard this latest escapade as a boyish joke and expelled the young man.
esoteric
hard to understand; known only to the chosen few
New Yorker short stories often include esoteric allusions to obscure people and events: the implication is if
you are in the in-crowd, you'll get the reference; if you come from Cleveland, you won't.
espionage
spying
In order to maintain its power, the government developed a system of espionage that penetrated every
hosehold.
esteem
repect; value; judge
I esteem Ezra Pound both for his exciting poetry and for his acute comments on literature.
ethnic
relating to races
Intolerance between ethnic groups is deplorable and usually is based on lack of information.
ethos
underlying character of a culture, group, etc.
Seeing how tenderly Spaniards treated her small daughter made author Barbara Kingsolver aware of how
greatly children were valued in the Spanish ethos.
eugenic
pertaining to the improvement of race
It is easier to apply eugenic principles to the raising of racehorses or prize cattle than t the development of
human beings.
eulogy
praise
All the eulogies of his friends could not remove the sting of the calumny heaped upon him by his enemies.
euphemism
mild expression in place of an unpleasant one
The expression "he passed away" is a euphemism for "he died."
euphony
sweet sound
Noted for its euphony even when it is spoken, the Italian language is particularly pleasing to the ear when
sung.
euphoria
feeling of exaggerated (or unfounded) well-being
"Jill's been on cloud nine ever since Jacj asked her out," said Betty, dismissing her friend's euphoria.
euthanasia
mercy killing
Many people support euthanasia for terminally ill patients who wish to die.
evanescent
fleeting; vanishing
For a brief moment, the entire skyline was bathed in an orange-red hue in the evanescent rays of the
sunset.
evasive
not frank; eluding
Your evasive answers convinced the judge that you were witholding important evidence.
evenhanded
impartial; fair
Do men and women receive evenhanded treatment from their teachers, or, as recent studies suggest, do teachers pay more attention to male students than to females?
evince
show clearly
When he tried to answer the questions, he evinced his ignorance of the subject matter.
ewe
female sheep
The flock of sheep was made up of dozens of ewes, together with only a handful of rams.
exacerbate
worsen; embitter
This latest arrest will exacerbate the already existing discontent of the people and enrage them.
exacting
extremely demanding
The colonies rebelled against the exacting financial claims of the mother country.
exalt
raise in rank or dignity; praise
The actor Alec Guinness was exalted to the rank of knighthood by the Queen; he now is known as Sir Alec
Guinness.
excerpt
selected passage (written or musical)
The cinematic equivalent of an excerpt from a novel is a clip from a film.
exchequer
treasury
He had been Chancellor of the exchequer before his promotion to the office he now holds.
excise
cut away; cut out
When you excise the dead and dying limbs of a tree, you not only improve its appearance but also enhance
its chances of bearing fruit.
excoriate
flay; abrade
These shoes are so ill-fitting that they will excoriate the feet and create blisters.
execrate
curse; express abhorrence for
The world execrates the memory of Hitler and hopes that genocide will never again be the policy of any
nation.
execute
put into effect; carry out
The choreographer wanted to see how well she could execute a pirouette.
exegesis
explanation, especially of biblical passages
I can follow your exegesis of this passage to a limited degree; some of your reasoning eludes me.
exemplify
show by example; furnish an example
Three-time winner of the Super Bowl, Joe Montana exemplifies the ideal quarterback.
exertion
effort; expenditure of much physical work
The exertion involved in unscrewing the rusty bolt left her exhausted.
exhume
dig out of the ground; remove from a grave
Because of the rumor that he had been poisoned, his body was exhumed in order that an autopsy might be
performed.
existential
pertaining to existence; pertaining to the philosophy of existentialism
To the existential philosopher, human reason is inadequate to explain an irrational, meaningless universe.
exodus
departure
The exodus from the hot and stuffy city was particularly noticeable on Friday evenings.
exorbitant
excessive
The people grumbled at his exorbitant prices but paid them because he had a monopoly.
exorcise
drive our evil spirits
By incantation and prayer, the medicine man sought to exorcise the evil spirits that had taken possession of
the young warrior.
exotic
not native; strange
Because of his exotic headdress, he was followed in the streets by small children who laughed at his strange
appearance.
expatiate
talk at length
At this time, please give us a brief resume of your work; we shall permit you to expatiate later.
expatriate
exile; someone who has withdrawn from his native land
Henry James was an American expatriate who settled in England.
expedient
suitable; practical; politic
A pragmatic politician, he was guided by what was expedient rather than by what was ethical.
expertise
specialized knowledge; expert skill
Although she was knowledgeable in a number of fields, she was hired for her particular expertise in
computer programming.
expiate
make amends for (a sin)
He tried to expiate his crimes by a full confession to the authorities.
expletive
interjection; profane oath
The sergeant's remarks were filled with expletives that offended the new recruits.
explicate
explain; interpret; clarify
Harry Levin explicated James Joyce's novels with such clarity that even Finnegan's Wake seemed
comprehensible to his students.
explicit
totally clear; definite; outspoken
Don't just hint around that you're dissatisfied: be explicit about what's bugging you.
exploit
deed or action, particularly a brave deed
Raoul Wallenberg was noted for his exploits in rescuing Jews from Hitler's forces.
exploit
make use of, sometimes unjustly
Caesar Chavez fought attempts to exploit migrant farmworkers in California.
expository
explanatory; serving to explain
The mannual that came with my VCR was no masterpiece of expository prose: its explanations were so
garbled that I couldn't even figure out how to rewind a tape.
expostulation
protest; remonstrance
Despite the teacher's scoldings and expostulations, the class remained unruly.
exposure
risk, particularly of being exposed to disease or to the elements; unmasking; act of laying
something open
Exposure to sun and wind had dried out her hair and weathered her face.
expurgate
clean; remove offensive parts of a book
The editors felt that certain passages in the book had to be expurgated before it could be used in the
classroom.
extant
still in existence
Although the authorities suppressed the book, many copies are extant and may be purchased at exorbitant prices.
extemporaneous
not planned; impromtu
Because his extemporaneous remarks were misinterpreted, he decided to write all his speeches in advance.
extenuate
weaken; mitigate
It is easier for us to extenuate our own shortcomings than those of others.
extirpate
root up
The Salem witch trials were a misguided attempt to extirpate superstition and heresy.
extradition
surrender of prisoner by one state to another
The lawyers opposed the extradition of their client on the grounds that for more than five years he had
been a model citizen.
extraneous
not essential; external
Do not pad your paper with extraneous matters; stick to essential items only.
extrapolation
projection; conjecture
Based on their extrapolation from the results of the primaries on Super Tuesday, the networks predicted
that George Bush would be the Republican candidate for the presidency.
extrinsic
external; not inherent; foreign
Do not be fooled by extrinsic causes. We must look for the intrinsic reason.
extrovert
person interested mostly in external objects and actions
A good salesperson in usually an extrovert, who likes to mingle with people.
exuberant
abundant; effusive; lavish
His speeches were famous for his exuberant language and vivid imagery.
exude
discharge; give forth
The maple syrup is obtained from the sap that the trees exude in early spring.
facade
front of the building
The facade of the church had often been photographed by tourists because it was more interesting than
the rear.
facet
small plane surface (of a gem); a side
The stonecutter decided to improve the rough diamond by providing it with several facets.
facile
easy; expert
Because he was a facile speaker, he never refused a request to address an organization.
facilitate
make less difficult
He tried to facilitate repayment of the loan by getting a part-time job.
faction
party; clique; dissension
The quarrels and bickering of the two small factions within the club disturbed the majority of the
members.
factious
inclined to form factions; causing dissension.
Your statement is factious and will upset the harmony that now exists.
factotum
handyman; person who does all kinds of work
Although we had hired him as a messenger, we soon began to use him as a general factotum around the
office.
faculty
mental or bodily powers; teaching staff
As he grew old, he feared he might lose his faculties and become useless to his employer.
fallow
plowed but sowed; uncultivated Farmers have learned that it is advisable to permit land to le fallow every few years.
fanaticism
excessive zeal
The leader of the group was held responsible even though he could not control the fanaticism of his
followers.
fancied
imagined; unreal
You are resenting fancied insults. No one has ever said such things about you.
fancier
breeder or dealer of animals
The dog fancier exhibited her prize collie at the annual Kennel Club show.
fanfare
call by bugles or trumpets; showy display
The exposition was opened with fanfare of trumpets and the firing of cannon.
fantastic
unreal; grotesque; whimsical
Your fears are fantastic because no such animal as you have described exists.
fastidious
difficult to please; squeamish
The waitresses disliked serving him dinner because of his very fastidious taste.
fatalism
belief that events are determined by forces beyond one's control
With fatalism, he accepted the hardships that beset him.
fauna
animals of a period or region
The scientist could visualize the fauna of the period by examining the skeletal remains and the fossils.
fawning
courting favor by cringing and flattering
She was constantly surrounded by a group of fawning admirers who had hoped to win some favor.
feckless
feeble, ineffective; unthinking, irresponsible
Einstein was noted for his extraordinary inspirations; on the other hand, he was noted for being feckless in
his daily chores.
fecundity
fertility; fruitfulness
The fecundity of his mind is illustrated by the many vivid images in his poems.
felicitous
apt; suitably expressed; well chosen
He was famous for his felicitous remarks and was called upon to serve as master-of-ceremonies at many
banquet.
felicity
happines; appropriateness (of a remark, choice, etc.)
She wrote a note to the newlyweds wishing them great felicity in their wedded life.
ferment
agitation; commotion
With the breakup of the Soviet Union, much of Eastern Europe was in a state of ferment.
fester
generate pus
When her finger began to fester, the doctor lanced it and removed the splinter that had caused the pus to
form.
fester
rankle, produce irritation or resentment
Joe's insult festered in Anne's mind for days, and made her too angry to speak to him.
fictitious
imaginary
Although this book purports to be a biography of George Washington, many of the incidents are fictitious.
fidelity
loyalty
A dog's fidelity to its owner is one of the reasons why that animal is a favorite household pet.
figment
invention; imaginary thing
That incident never took place; it is a figment of your imagination.
figurative
not literal, but metaphorical; using a figure of speech
"To lose one's marbles" is a figurative expression; if you're told Jack has lost his marbles, no one expects
you to rush out to buy him a replacement set.
figurine
small ornamental statuette
In the Maltese Falcon, Sam Spade was hired to trace the missing figurine of a black bird.
filial
pertaining to a son or daughter
Many children forget their filial obligations and disregard the wishes of their parents.
filibuster
block legislation by making long speeches
Even though we disapproved of Senator Foghorn's political goals, we were impressed by his ability to
filibuster endlessly to keep an issue from coming to a vote.
filigree
delicate, lacelike metalwork
The pendant with gold filigree that she wore round her neck trembled with each breath she took.
finale
conclusion
It is not until we reach the finale of this play that we can understand the author's message.
finesse
delicate skill
The finesse and adroitness of the surgeon impressed the observers in the operating room.
firebrand
hothead; troublemaker
The police triedto keep track of all the local firebrands when the President came to town.
fitful
spasmodic; intermittent
After several fitful attempts, he decided to postpone the start of the project until he felt more energetic.
flag
droop; grow feeble
When the opposing hockey team scored its third goal only minutes into the first period, the home team's
spirits flagged.
flail
thresh grain by hand; strike or slap; toss about
In medieval times, warriors flailed their foe with a metal ball attached to a handle.
flair
talent
She has an uncanny flair for discovering new artists before the public has become aware of their existence.
flamboyant
ornate
Modern architecture has discarded the flamboyant trimming on buildings and emphasizes simplicity of line.
flaunt
display ostentatiously
She is not the one of those actresses who flaunt their physical charms; she can act.
fledgling
inexperienced
While it is necessary to provide these fledgling poets with an opportunity to present their work, it is not
essential that we admire everything they write.
fleece
wool coat of a sheep
They shear sheep of their fleece, which they then comb into separate strands of wool.
flick
light stroke as with a whip
The horse needed no encouragement; only one flick of the whip was all the jockey had to apply to get the
animal to run at top speed.
flit
fly; dart lightly; pass swiftly by
Like a bee flitting from flower to flower, Rose flitted from one boyfriend to the next.
flora
plants of a region or era
Because she was a botanist, she spent most of her time studying the flora of the desert.
flotsam
drifting wreckage
Beachcombers eke out a living by salvaging the flotsam and jetsam of the sea.
fluctuation
wavering
Meteorologists watch the fluctuations of the barometer in order to predict the weather.
fluke
unlikely occurrence; stroke of fortune When Douglass defeated Tyson for the heavyweight championship, some sportscasters dismissed his
victory as a fluke.
fluted
having vertical parallel grooves (as in a pillar)
All that remained of the ancient building were the fluted columns.
flux
flowing; series of changes
While conditions are in such a state of flux, I do not wish to commit myself too deeply in this affair.
fodder
coarse food for cattle, horses etc.
One of Nancy's chores ar the ranch was to put fresh supplies of fodder in the horses' stalls.
foil
contrast
In "Star Wars," dark, evil Darth Vader is a perfect foil for fair-haired, naive Luke Skywalker.
foist
insert improperly; palm off
I will not permit you to foist such ridiculous ideas upon the membership of this group.
foliage
masses of leaves
Every autumn before the leaves fell he promised himself he would drive though the New England to
admire the colorful fall foliage.
foolhardy
rash
Don't be foolhardy. Get the advice of experienced people before undertaking this venture.
foppish
vain about dress and appearance
He tried to imitate the foppish manner of the young men of the court.
forberance
patience
We must use forbearance in dealing with him because he is still weak from his illness.
ford
place where a river can be crossed on foot
Rather than risk using the shaky rope bridge, David walked a half-mile downstream until he came to the
neartest ford.
forebears
ancestors
Reverence for one's forebears (sometimes referred to as ancestor worship) plays an important part in many
Oriental cultures.
forensic
suitable to debate or courts of law
In her best forensic manner, the lawyer addressed the jury.
foreshadow
give an indication beforehand; portend; prefigure
In retrospect, political analysts realized that Yeltsin's defiance of the attempted coup foreshadowed his
emergence as the dominant figure of the new Russian republic.
foresight
ability to foresee future happenings; prudence
A wise investor, she had the foresight to buy land just before the current real estate boom.
forestall
prevent by taking action in advance
By setting up a prenuptial agreement, the prospective bride and groom hoped to forestall any potential
arguments about money in the event of a divorce.
forgo
give up; do without
Determined to lose weight for the summer, Ida decided to forgo dessert until she could fit into a size eight
again.
formality
adherence to established rules or procedures
Signing this petition is a mere formality; it does not obligate you in any way.
formidable
menacing; threatening
We must not treat the battle lightly for we are facing a formidable foe.
forsake
desert; abandon; renounce
No one expected Foster to forsake his wife and children and run off with another woman.
forswear
renounce; abandon
The captured knight could escape death only if he agreed to forswear Christianity and embrace Islam as the
one true faith.
forte
strong point or special talent
I am not eager to play this rather seious role, for my forte is comedy.
forthright
straightforward; direct; frank
I prefer Jill's forthright approach to Jack's tendency to beat around the bush.
fortuitous
accidental; by chance There is no connection between these two events; their timing is entirely fortuitous.
foster
rear; encourage
According to the legend, Romulus and Remus were fostered by a she-wolf that raised the abandoned
infants as her own.
founder
fail completely; sink
After hitting the submerged iceberg, the Titanic started taking in water rapidly and soon foundered.
founder
person who establishes (an organization, business)
Among those drowned when the Titanic sank was the founder of the Abraham & Straus chain.
fracas
brawl; melee
The military police stopped the fracas in the bar and arrested the belligerents.
frailty
weakness
The doctor prescribed vitamin and mineral supplements for the sick old woman because of her frailty.
franchise
right granted by authority
The city issued a franchise to the company to operate surface transit lines on the streets for ninety-nine
years.
fraudulent
cheating; deceitful
The government seeks to prevent fraudulent and misleading advertising.
fraught
filled
Since this enterprise is fraught with danger, I will ask for volunteers who are willing to assume the risks.
frenetic
frenzied; frantic
His frenetic activities convinced us that he had no organized plan of operation.
frenzied
madly excited
As soon as they smelled smoke, the frenzied animals milled about in their cages.
fresco
painting in plaste (usually fresh)
The cathedral is visited by many tourists who wish to admire the frescoes by Glotto.
fret
to be annonyed or vexed
To fret over your poor grades is foolish; instead, decide to work harder in the future.
friction
clash in opinion; rubbing against
At this time when harmony is essential, we cannot afford to have any friction in our group.
fritter
waste
He could not apply himself to any task and frittered away his time in idle conversation.
frivolous
lacking in seriousness; self-indulgently carefree; relatively unimportant
Though Nancy enjoyed Bill's frivolous, lighthearted companionship, she sometimes wondered whether he
could ever be serious.
frond
fern leaf; palm or banana leaf
After the storm the beach was littered with the fronds of palm trees.
frugality
thrift; economy
In these economically difficult days businesses must practice frugality or risk bankruptcy.
fruition
bearing of fruit; fulfillment; realization
This building marks the fruition of all our aspirations and years of hard work.
fugitive
fleeting or transitory; roving
The film brought a few fugitive images to her mind, but on the whole it made no lasting impression upon
her.
fulcrum
support on which a lever rests
If we use this stone as a fulcrum and the crowbar as a lever, we may be able to move this boulder.
functionary
official
As his case was transferred from one functionary to another, he began to despair of ever reaching a
settlement.
fundamental
basic; primary; essential The committee discussed all sorts of side issues without ever getting down to addressing the fundamental
problem.
funereal
sad; solemn
I fail to understand why there is such a funereal atmosphere; we have lost a battle, not a war.
furor
frenzy; great excitement
The story of her embezzlement of the funds created a furor on the stock exchange.
fusilade
simultaneous firing or outburs (of missiles, questions, etc.)
Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture concludes with a thunderous fusilade of cannon fire.
fusion
union; coalition
The opponents of the political party in power organized a fusion of disgruntled groups and became an
important element in the election.
gadfly
animal-biting fly; an irritating person
Like a gadfly, he irritated all the guests at the hotel; within forty eight hours, everyone regarded him as an
annoying busybody.
gaffe
social blunder
According to Miss Manners, to call your husband by your lover's name is worse than a mere gaffe; it is a
tactical mistake.
galaxy
the Milky Way; any collection of brilliant personalities
The deaths of such famous actors as Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, Spencer Tracy, and Marlene Dietrich
demonstrate that the galaxy of Hollywood superstars is rapidly disppearing.
galleon
large sailing ship
The Spaniards pinned their hopes on the galleon, the large warship; the British, on the smaller and faster
pinnace.
galvanize
stimulate by shock; stir up
The entire nation was galvanized into strong military activity by the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
gambit
opening in chess in which a piece is sacrificed
The player was afraid to accept his opponent's gambit because he feared a trap which as yet he could not
see.
gamely
in a spirited manner; with courage
Because he had fought gamely against a much superior boxer, the crowd gave him a standing ovation when
he left the arena.
gamut
entire range
In this performance, the leading lady was able to demonstrate the complete gamut of her acting ability.
garbled
mixed up; jumbled; distorted
A favorite party game involves passing a whispered message from one person to another; by the time it
reaches the last player, the message has become totally garbled.
gargolye
waterspout carved in groteque figures on a building
The gargoyles adorning the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris are amusing in their grotesqueness.
garrulity
talkativeness
The man who married a dumb wife asked the doctor to make him deaf because of his wife's garrulity after her cure.
garrulous
excessively talkative, especially about unimportant subjects; loquacious; wordy
Many club members avoided the company of the garrulous junior executive because his contant chatter
bored them to tears.
gastronomy
science of preparing and serving good food
One of the by-products of his trip to Europe was his interest in gastronomy; he enjoyed preparing and
serving foreign dishes to his friends.
gauche
clumsy; boorish
Such remarks are gauche and out of place; you should apologize for making them.
gaunt
lean and angular; barren
His once-round face looked surprisingly gaunt after he had lost weight.
gawk
stare foolishly; look in open-mouthed awe
The country boy gawked at the skyscrapers and neon lights of the big city.
genealogy
record of descent; lineage
He was proud of his genealogy and constantly referred to the achievements of his ancestors.
generality
vague statement
This report is filled with generalities; you must be more specific in you statements.
generic
characteristic of an entire class or species
Sue knew so many computer programmers who spent their spare time playing fantasy games that she
began to think that playing Dungeon & Dragons was a generic trait.
geniality
cheerfulness; kindliness; sympathy
This restaurant is famous and popular because of the geniality of the proprietor, who tries to make
everyone happy.
genre
particular variety of art or literature
Both a short story writer and a poet, Langston Hughes proved himself equally skilled in either genre.
genteel
well-bred; elegant
We are looking for a man with a genteel apperance who can inspire confidence by his cultivated manner.
gentry
people of standing; class of people just below nobility
The local gentry did not welcome the visits of the summer tourists and tried to ignore their presence in the
community.
germane
pertinent; bearing upon the case at hand
The lawyer objected that the testimony being offered was not germane to the case at hand.
germinal
pertaining to a germ; creative
Such an idea is germinal; I am certain that it will influence thinkers and philosophers for many generations.
germinate
cause to sprout; sprout
After the seeds germinate and develop their permanent leaves, the plants may be removed from the cold
frames and transplanted to the garden.
gerontocracy
government ruled by old people
Gulliver visited a gerontocracy in which the young people acted as servants to their elders, all the while
dreaming of the day they would be old enough to have servants of their own.
gerrymander
change in voting district lines in order to favor a political party
The illogical pattern of the map of this congressional district is proof that the state legislature
gerrymandered this area in order to favor the majority party.
gestate
evolve, as in prenatal growth
While this scheme was being gestated by the conspirators, they maintained complete silence about their
intentions.
gesticulation
motion; gesture
Operatic performers are trained to make exaggerated gesticulations because of the large auditoriums in
whic they appear.
gibberish
nonsense; babbling
Did you hear that foolish boy spouting gibberish about monsters from outer space?
gibe
mock
As you gibe at their superstitious beliefs, do you realize that you, too, are guilty of similarly foolish
thoughts?
girth
distance around something; circunference
It took an extra-large cummerbund to fit around Andrew Carnegie's considerable girth.
glacial
like a glacier; extremely cold
Never a warm person, when offended hugo could seem positively glacial.
glaring
highly conspicuous; harshly bright
glaring spelling or grammatical errors in your resume will unfavorably impress potential employers.
glaze
cover with a thin and shiny surface
The freezing rain glazed the streets and made driving hazardous.
glean
gather leavings
After the crops had been harvested by the machines, the peasants were permitted to glean the wheat left in
the fields.
glimmer
shine erratically; twinkle
In the darkness of the cavern, the glowworms hanging from the cavern roof glimmered like distant stars.
gloat
express evil satisfaction; view malevolently
As you gloat over your ill-gotten wealth, do you think of the many victims you have defrauded?
glossary
brief explanation of words used in the text
I have found the glossary in this book very useful; it has eliminated many trips to the dictionary.
gloss
over explain away
No matter how hard he tried to talk around the issue, President Bush could not gloss over the fact that he
had raised the taxes after all.
glutton
someone who eats too much
When Mother saw that Bobby had eaten all the cookies, she called him a little glutton.
glut
overstock; fill to excess
The many manufacturers glutted the market and could not find purchasers for the many articles they had
produced.
gnarled
twisted
The gnarled oak tree had been a landmark for years and was mentioned in several deeds.
gnome
dwarf; underground spirit
In medieval mythology, gnomes were the special guardians and inhabitants of subterranean mines.
gorge
narrow canyon; steep, rocky cleft
Terrified of heights, George could not bring himself to peer down into the gorge to see the rapids below.
gorge
stuff oneself
The gluttonous guest gorged himself with food as though he had not eaten for days.
gouge
tear out
In that fight, all the rules were forgotten; the adversaries bit, kicked, and tried to gouge each other's eyes
out.
gourmand
epicure; person who takes excessive pleasure in food and drink
goumands lack self-restraint; if they enjoy a particular cuisine, they eat far too much of it.
gourmet
connoisseur of food and drink
The gourmet stated that this was the best onion soup she had ever tasted.
graduated
arraged by degree (of height, difficulty, etc.)
Margaret loved her graduated set of Russian hollow wooden dolls; she spent hours happily putting the
smaller dolls into their larger counterparts.
granary
storehouse for grain
We have reason to be thankful, for our crops were good and our granaries are full.
grandeur
impressiveness; stateliness; majesty
No matter how often he hiked through the mountains, David never failed to be struck by the grandeur of
the Sierra Nevada range.
grandiloquent
pompous; bombastic; using high-sounding language
The politician could bever speak simply; she was always grandiloquent.
graphic
pertaining to the art of delineating; vividly described
I was particularly impressed by the graphic presentation of the storm.
grate
make a harsh noise; have an unpleasant effect; shred
The screams of the quarreling children grated on her nerves.
gratis
free
The company offered to give one package gratis to every purchaser of one of their products.
gratuitous
given freely; unwarranted; uncalled for
Quit making gratuitous comments about my driving; no one asked you for your opinion.
grievance
cause of complaint
When her supervisor ignored her complaint, she took her grievance to the union.
grill
question severely
In violation of the Miranda law, the police grilled the suspect for several hours before reading him his
rights.
grimace
a facial distortion to show feeling such as pain, disgust, etc.
Even though he remained silent, his grimace indicated his displeasure.
grotto
small cavern
The Blue Grotto in Capri can be entered only by small boats rowed by natives through a natural opening in
the rocks.
grouse
complain; fuss
Students traditionally grouse about the abysmal quality of "mystery meat" and similar dornitory food.
grovel
crawl or creep on ground; remain prostrate
Even though we have been defeated, we do not have to grovel before our conquerors.
grudging
unwilling; reluctant; stingy
We received only grudging support from the mayor despite his earlier promises of aid.
gruel
thin, liquid porridge
Our daily allotment of gruel made the meal not only monotonous but also unpalatable.
gruff
rough-mannered
Although he was blunt and gruff with most people, he was always gentle with children.
guffaw
boisterous laughter
The loud guffaws that came from the closed room indicated that the members of the committe had not yet
settled down to a serious business.
gustatory
affecting the sense of taste
The Thai restaurant offered an unusual gustatory experience for those used in a bland cuisine.
gusto
enjoyment; enthusiasm
He accepted the assignment with such gusto that I feel he would have been satisfied with a smaller salary.
gyroscope
apparatus used to maintain balance, ascertain direction, etc.
By using a rotating gyroscope, they were able to stabilize the vessel, counteracting the rolling movements
of the sea.
114. - apparatus used to maintain balance, ascertain direction, etc.
hackles
hairs on back and neck, especially of a dog
The dog's hackles rose and he began to growl as the sound of footsteps grew louder.
hackneyed
commonplace; trite
The English teacher criticized her story because of its hackneyed and unoriginal plot.
haggle
argue about prices
I prefer to shop in a store that has a one-price policy because, whenever I haggle with a shopkeeper, I am
never certain that I paid a fair price for the articles I purchased.
halcyon
calm; peaceful
In those halcyon days, people were not worried about sneak attacks and bombings.
hallucination
delusion
I think you were frightened by a hallucination that you created in you own mind.
halting
hesitant; faltering
Novice extemporaneous speakers often talk in a halting fashion as they grope for the right words.
hamper
obstruct
The minority party agreed not to hamper the efforts of the leaders to secure a lasting peace.
haphazard
random; by chance
His haphazard reading left him unaquainted with the authors of the books.
harangue
long, passionate, and vehement speech
In her lengthy harangue, the principal berated the offenders.
harass
annoy by repeated attacks
When he could not pay his bills as quickly as he had promised, he was harrassed by his creditors.
hardy
sturdy; robust; able to stand inclement weather
We asked the gardening expert to recommend particularly hardy plants that could withstand our harsh
New England winters.
harping
tiresome dwelling on a subject
After he had reminded me several times about what he had done for me I told him to stop his harping on
my indebtedness to him.
harrow
break up ground after plowing; torture
I don't want to harrow you at this time by asking you to recall the details of your unpleasant experience.
hatch
deck opening; lid covering a deck opening
The latch on the hatch failed to catch, so the hatch remained unlatched.
hazardous
dangerous
Your occupation is too hazardous for insurance companies to consider your application.
headlong
hasty; rash
The slave seized the unexpected chance to make a headlong dash across the border to freedom.
headstrong
stubborn; willful; unyielding
Because she refused to marry the man her parents had chosen for her, everyone scolded Minna and called
her a foolish, headstrong girl.
heckler
person who verbally harasses others The heckler kept interrupting the speaker with rude remarks.
hedonism
belief that pleasure is the sole aim in life
hedonism and asceticism are opposing philosophies of human behavior.
heedless
not noticing; disregarding
He drove on, heedless of the warnings that the road was dangerous.
hegemony
dominance, especially of one nation over others
As one Eastern European nation after another declared its independence, commentators marveled at the
sudden breakdown of the once monolithic Soviet hegemony.
heresy
opinion contrary to popular belief or to accepted religion
He was threatened with excommunication because his remarks were considered to be pure heresy.
heretic
person who maintains opinions contrary to the doctrines of the church
She was punished by the Spanish Inquisition because she was a heretic.
hermetic
obscure and mysterious; occult
It is strange to consider that modern chemistry originated in the hermetic teachings of the ancient
alchemists.
hermetic
sealed by fusion so as to be airtight
After these bandages are sterilized, they are placed in hermetic containers.
hermitage
home of a hermit
Even in his remote hermitage he could not escape completely from the world.
herpetologist
one who studies reptiles
As a boy, Indiana Jones had a traumatic experience involving snakes; sensibly enough, he studies to be
archaeologist, not a herpetologist.
heterodox
unorthodox; unconventional
To those who upheld the belief that the earth did not move, Galileo's theory that the earth circled the sun
was disturbingly heterodox.
heterogeneous
dissimilar
In a heterogeneous group, we have an unassorted assemblage, while in a homogeneous group we have
people or things that have common traits.
hew
cut to pieces with ax or sword
The cavalry rushed into melee and hewed the enemy with their swords.
heyday
time of greatest success; prime
In their heyday, the San Francisco Forty-Niners won the Super Bowl two years running.
hiatus
gap; pause
Except for a brief two-year hiatus, during which she enrolled in the Peace Corps, Ms. Clements has
devoted herself to her medical career.
hieroglyphic
picture writing
The discovery of the Rosetta Stone enabled scholars to read the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.
hindmost
furthest behind
The coward could always be found in the hindmost lines whenever a battle was being waged.
hindrance
block; obstacle
Stalled cars along the highway are a hindrance to traffic that tow trucks should remove without delay.
hireling
one who serves for hire (usually used contemptuously)
In a matter of such importance, I do not wish to deal with hirelings; I must meet with the chief.
hoard
stockpile; accumulate for future use
Whenever there are rumors of a food shortage, people are tempted to hoard food.
holocaust
destruction by fire
Citizens of San Francisco remember that the destruction of the city was caused not by the earthquake but
by the holocaust that followed.
homeostasis
tendency of a system to maintain relative stability
A breakdown of the body's immune system severely undermines the body's ability to maintain
homeostasis.
homily
sermon; serious warning
His speeches were always homilies, advising his listeners to repent and reform.
homogeneous
of the same kind
Many educators try to put pupils of similar abilities in the same class because they believe that his
homogeneous grouping is advisable.
hoodwink
deceive; delude
Having been hoodwinked once by the fast-talking salesman, he was extremely cautious when he went to
purchase a used car.
hortatory
encouraging; exhortive
The crowd listened to his hortatory statements with ever-growing excitement; finally they rushed from the
hall to carry to his suggestions.
horticultural
pertaining to cultivation of gardens
When he bought his house, he beganto look for flowers and decorative shrubs, and began to read books
dealing with horticultural matters.
hubris
arrogance; excessive self-conceit
Filled with hubris, Lear refused to heed his friends' warnings.
humility
humbleness of spirit
He spoke with a humility and lack of pride that impressed his listeners.
hummock
small hill
The ascent of the hummock is not difficult and the view from the hilltop is ample reward tor the effort.
humus
substance formed by decaying vegetable matter
In order to improve his garden, he spread humus over his lawn and flower beds.
husbandry
frugality; thrift; agriculture
He accumulated his small fortune by diligence and husbandry.
hybrid
mongrel; mixed breed
Mendel's formula explains the appearance of hybrids and pure species in breeding.
hydrophobia
fear of water; rabies
A dog that bites a human being must be observed for symptoms of hydrophobia.
hyperbole
exaggeration; overstatement
This salesman is guilty of hyperbole in describing his product; it is wise to discount his claims.
hypercritical
excessively exacting
You are hypercritical in your demands for perfection; we all make mistakes.
hypochondriac
person unduly worried about his health; worrier without cause about illness
The doctor prescribed chocolate pills for his patient who was a hypocondriac.
hypocritical
pretending to be virtuous; deceiving
I resent his hypocritical posing as a friend for I know he is interested only in his own advancement.
hypothetical
based on assumptions or hypotheses
Why do we have to consider hypothetical cases when we have actual case histories that we may examine?
ichthyology
study of fish
Jacques Cousteau's rpograms about sea life have advanced the cause of ichthyology.
iconoclastic
attacking cherished traditions
George Bernard Shaw's iconoclastic plays often startled more conventional people.
ideology
ideas of a group of people
That ideology is dangerous to this country because it embraces undemocratic philosophies.
idiom
spcial usage in language
I could not understand their idioms because literal translation made no sense.
idiosyncrasy
peculiarity; eccentricity
One of his personal idiosyncrasies was his habit of rinsing all cutlery given him in a restaurant.
idiosyncratic
private; peculiar to an individual
Such behavior is idiosyncratic, it is as easily identifiable as a signature.
idolatry
worship of idols; excessive admiration
Such idolatry of singers of country music is typical of the excessive enthusiasm of youth.
idyllic
charmingly carefree; simple
Far from the city, she led an idyllic existence in her rural retreat.
igneous
produced by fire; volcanic
Lava, pumice, and other igneous rocks are found in great abundance around Mount Vesuvius near Naples.
ignite
kindle; light
When Desi crooned, "Baby, light my fire," literal-minded Lucy looked around for some paper to ignite.
ignoble
of lowly origin; unworthy
This plan is inspired by ignoble motives and I must, therefore, oppose it.
ignominious
disgraceful
The country smarted under the ignominious defeat and dreamed of the day when it would be victorious.
illicit
illegal
The defense attorney claimed that the police had entrapped his client; that is, they had elicited the illicit
action of which they now accuse of him.
illimitable
infinite
Human beings, having explored the far corners of the earth, are now reaching out into illimitable space.
illuminate
brighten; clear up or make understandable; enlighten
Just as a lamp can illuminate a dark room, a perceptive comment can illuminate a knotty problem.
illusion
misleading vision
It is easy to create an optical illusion in which lines of equal length appear different.
illusory
deceptive; not real
Unfortunately, the costs of running the lemonade stand were so high that Tom's profits proved illusory.
imbalance
lack of balance or symmetry; disproportion
Because of the great imbalance between the number of men and women invited, the dance was
unsuccessful.
imbroglio
complicated situation; perplexity; entanglement
He was called in to settle the imbroglio but failed to bring harmony into the situation.
imbue
saturate, fill
His visits to the famous Gothic cathedrals imbued him with feelings of awe and reverence.
imminent
near at hand; impending
Rosa was such a last-minute worker that she could never start writing a paper till the deadline was
imminent.
immobility
state of being immovable
Modern armies cannot afford the luxury of immobility, as they are vulnerable to attack while standing still.
immolate
offer as a sacrifice
The tribal kind offered to immolate his daughter to quiet the angry gods.
immure
imprison; shut up in confinement For the two weeks before the examination, the student immureed himself in his room and concentrated
upon his studies.
impalpable
imperceptible; intangible
The ash is so fine that it is impalpable to the touch but it can be seen as a fine layer covering the window
ledge.
impasse
predicament from which there is no escape
In this impasse, all turned to prayer as their last hope.
impassive
without feeling; not affected by pain
The Native American has been incorrectly depicted as an impassive individual, undemonstrative and
stoical.
impeach
charge with crime in office; indict
The angry congressman wanted to impeach the President for his misdeeds.
impecunious
without money
Now that he was wealthy, he gladly contributed to funds to assist impecunious and disbled persons.
impede
hinder; block
The special prosecutor determined that the Attorney General, though inept, had not intentionally set out to
impede the progress of the investigation.
impediment
hindrance; stumbling-block
She had a speech impediment that prevented her from speaking clearly.
impenetrable
not able to be pierced or entered
How could the murderer have gotten into the locked room? To Watson, the mystery, like the room, was
impenetrable.
imperial
like an emperor; related to an empire
When hotel owner Leona Helmsley appeared in ads as Queen Leona standing guard over the Palace Hotel,
her critics mocked her imperial fancies.
imperiousness
lordliness; domineering manner; arrogance
His imperiousness indicated that he had long been accustomed to assuming command.
impermeable
impervious; not permitting passage through its substance
This new material is impermeable to liquids.
imperturbable
calm; placid
Wellington remained imperturbable and in full command of the situation in spite of the hyteria and panic
all around him.
impervious
not penetrable; not permitting passage through
You cannot change their habits for their minds are impervious to reasoning.
impetuous
violent; hasty; rash
We tried to curb his impetuous behavior because we felt that in his haste he might offend some people.
impetus
moving force; incentive; stimulus
A new federal highway program would create jobs and five added impetus to our economic recovery.
impinge
infringe; touch; collide with
How could they be married without impinging on one another's freedom?
implacable
incapable of being pacified
Madame Defarge was the implacable enemy of the Evremonde family.
implausible
unlikely; unbelievable
Though her alibi seened implausible, it in fact turned out to be true.
implement
put into effect; supply with tools
The mayor was unwilling to implement the plan until she was sure it had the governor's backing.
implication
that which is hinted at or suggested
If I understand the implications of your remark, you do not trust our captain.
implicit
understood but not stated
Jack never told Jill he adored her; he believed his love was implicit in his deeds.
imply
suggest a meaning not expressed
Even though your statement does not declare that you are at war with that country, your actions imply that
that is the actual situation.
impolitic
not wise
I think it is impolitic to raise this issue at the present time because the public is too angry.
imponderable
weightless
I can evaluate the data gathered in this study; the imponderable items are not so easily analyzed.
importunate
urging; demanding
He tried to hide from his importunate creditors until his allowance arrived.
importune
beg persistently
Democratic and Republican phone solicitors importuned her for contributions so frequently that she
decided to give nothing to either party.
import
significance
I feel that you have not grasped the full import of the message sent tous by the enemy.
impotent
weak; ineffective
Although he wished to break the nicotine habit, he found himself impotent in resisisting the craving for a
cigarette.
imprecation
curse
Roused from the bed at what he considered an ungodly hour, Roy muttered imprecations under his breath.
impregnable
invulnerable
Until the development of the airplane as a military weapon, the fort was considered impregnable.
impromptu
without previous preparation
Her listeners were amazed that such a thorough presentation could be made in an impromptu speech.
impropriety
state of being inappropriate
Because of the impropriety of his costume, he was denied entrance into the dining room.
improvident
thriftless
He was constantly being warned to mend his improvident ways and begin to "save for a rainy day."
improvise
compose on the spur of the moment
She would sit at the piano and improvise for hours on themes from Bach and Handel.
imprudent
lacking caution; injudicious
It is imprudent to exercise vigorously and become overheated when you are unwell.
impuissance
powerlessness; feebleness
The lame duck President was frustrated by his shift from enormous power to relative impuissance.
impunity
freedom from punishment
The bully mistreated everyone in the class with impunity for he felt that no one would dare retaliate.
impute
attribute; ascribe
If I wished to impute blame to the officers in charge of this program, I would state my feelings definitely
and immediately.
inadvertently
carelessly; unintentionally; by oversight
She inadvertently omitted two questions on the examination and mismarked her answer sheet.
inalienable
not to be taken away; nontransferable
The Declaration of Independence mentions the inalienable rights that all of us possess.
inarticulate
speechless; producing indistinct speech
He became inarticulate with rage and uttered sounds without meaning.
inaugurate
begin formally; install in office
The candidate promised that he would inaugurate a new nationwide health care plan as soon as he was
inaugurated as president.
incandescent
stikingly bright; shining with intense heat
If you leave on an incandescent light bulb, it quickly grows too hot to touch.
incantation
singing or chanting of magical formula
Uttering incantations to make the brew more potent, the witch doctor stirred the liquid in the caldron.
incarnate
endowed with flesh; personified
Your attitude is so fiendish that you must be a devil incarnate.
incarnation
act of assuming a human body and human nature
The incarnation of Jesus Christ is a basic tenet of Christian theology.
incendiary
arsonist
The fire spread in such an unusual manner that the fire department chiefs were certain that it had been set
by an incendiary.
incessant
uninterrupted
The crickets kept up an incessant chirping that disturbed our attempts to fall asleep.
inchoate
recently begun; rudimentary; elementary
Before the Creation, the world was an inchoate mass.
incidence
rate of occurrence; particular occurrence
Health professionals expressed great concern over the high incidence of infant mortality in major urban
areas.
incidental
not essential; minor
The scholarship covered his major expenses at college and some of his incidental expenses as well.
incipient
beginning; in an early stage
I will go to sleep early for I want to break an incipient cold.
inclined
tending or leaning toward; bent
Though I am inclined to be skeptical, the witness's manner inclines me to believe his story.
incline
slope; slant
The architect recommended that the nursing home's ramp be rebuilt because its incline was too steep for
wheelchairs.
inclusive
tending to include all
The comedian turned down the invitation to join the Player's Club, saying any club that would let him in
was too inclusive for him.
incognito
with identity concealed; using an assumed name
The monarch enjoyed traveling throughthe town incognito and mingling with the populace.
incoherent
unintelligible; muddled; illogical
The bereaved father sobbed and stammered, his words becoming almost incoherent in his grief.
incommodious
not spacious; inconvenient
In their incommodious quarters, they had to improvise for closet space.
incompatible
inharmonious
The married couple argued incessantly and finally decided to separate because they were incompatible.
incongruity
lack of harmony; absurdity
The incongruity of his wearing sneakers with formal attire amused the observers.
inconsequential
insignificant; unimportant
Brushing off Ali's apologies for having broken the wine glass, Tamara said, "Don't worry about it; it's
inconsequential."
inconsistency
state of being self-contradictory; lack of uniformity or steadiness
How are lawyers different from agricultural inspectors? Where lawyers check inconsistencies in witnesses'
statements, agricultural inspectors check inconsistencies in Grade A eggs.
incontinent
lacking self-restraint
His incontinent behavior off stage shocked many people and they refused to attend the plays and movies
in which he appeared.
incontrovertible
indisputable
We must yield to the incontrovertible evidence that you have presented and free your client.
incorporate
introduce something into a larger whole; combine; unite
Breaking with precedent, President Truman ordered the military to incorporate blacks into every branch of
the armed services.
incorporeal
immaterial; without a material body
We must devote time to the needs of our incorporeal mind as well as our corporeal body.
incorrigible
uncorrectable
Though Widow Douglass hoped to reform Huck, Miss Watson pronounced him incorrigible and said he
would come to no good end.
incredulity
a tendency to disbelief
Your incredulity in the face of all the evidence is hard to understand.
incredulous
withholding belief; skeptical When Jack claimed he hadn't eaten the jelly doughnut, Jill took an incredulous look at his smeared face and
laughed.
increment
increase
The new contract calls for a 10 percent increment in salary for each employee for the next two years.
incriminate
accuse; serve as evidence against
The witness's testimony against the racketeers incriminates some high public officials as well.
incubate
hatch; scheme
Inasmuch as our supply of electricity is cut off, we shall have to rely on the hens to incubate these eggs.
incubus
burden; mental care; nightmare
The incubus of financial worry helped bring on her nervous breakdown.
incumbent
officeholder
The newly elected public official received valuable advice from the present incumbent.
incursion
temporary invasion
The nightly incursions and hit-and-run raids of our neighbors across the border tried the patience of the
country to the point where we decided to retaliate in force.
indefatigable
tireless
He was indefatigable in his constant efforts to raise funds for the Red Cross.
indemnify
make secure against loss; compensate for loss
The city will indemnify all home owners whose property is spoiled by this project.
indenture
bind as servant or apprentice to master
Many immigrants could come to America only after they had indentured themselves for several years.
indeterminate
uncertain; not clearly fixed; indefinite
That interest rates shall rise appears certain; when they will do so, however, remains indeterminate.
indicative
suggestive; implying
A lack of appetite may be indicative of a major mental or physical disorder.
indifferent
unmoved; lacking concern
Because she felt no desire to marry, she was indifferent to his constant proposals.
indigence
poverty
Neither the economists nor the political scientists have found a way to wipe out the inequities of wealth
and eliminate indigence from our society.
indigenous
native
Tobacco is one of the indigenous plants that the early explorers found in this country.
indignity
offensive or insulting treatment
Although he seemed to accept cheerfully the indignities heaped upon him, he was inwardly very angry.
indiscriminate
choosing at random; confused
She disapproved of her son's indiscriminate television viewing and decided to restrict him to educational
programs.
indisputable
too certain to be disputed
In the face of these indisputable statements, I withdraw my complaint.
indolence
laziness
He outgrew his youthful indolence to become a model of industry and alertness on the job.
induce
persuade; bring about
After the quarrel, Tina said nothing could induce her to talk to Tony again.
inductive
pertaining to induction or preceeding from the specific to the general
The discovery of the planet Pluto is an excellent example of the results that can be obtained from inductive
reasoning.
indulgent
humoring; yielding; lenient
indulgent parents spoil their children by giving in to their every whim.
inebriety
habitual intoxication
Because of his inebriety, he was discharged from his position as family chauffeur.
ineffable
unutterable; cannot be expressed in speech
Such ineffable joy must be experienced; it cannot be described.
ineffectual
not effective; weak Because the candidate failed to get across his message to the public, his campaign was ineffectual.
ineluctable
irresistable; not to be escaped
He felt that his fate was ineluctible and refused to make any attempt to improve his lot.
inequity
unfairness
In demanding equal pay for equal work, women protest the basic inequity of a system that allots greater
financial rewards to men.
inerrancy
infallibility
Jane refused to believe in the pope's inerrancy, reasoning: "All human beings are capable of error. The
pope is a human being. Therefore, he pope is capable of error.
inertia
state of being inert or indisposed to move
Our inertia in this matter may prove disastrous; we must move to aid our allies immediately.
inexorable
relentless; unyielding; implacable
After listening to the pleas for clemency, the judge was inexorable and gave the convicted man the
maximum punishment allowed by law.
infer
deduce; conclude
We must be particularly cautious when we infer that a person is guilty on the basis of circumstantial
evidence.
infiltrate
pass into or through; penetrate (an organization) sneakily
In order to infiltrate enemy lines at night without being seen, the scouts darkened their faces and wore
black coveralls.
infinitesimal
very small
In the twentieth century, physicists have made their greatest discoveries about the characteristics of
infinitesimal objects like the atom and its parts.
inflated
exaggerated; pompous; enlarged (with air or gas)
His claims about the new product were inflated; it did not work as well as he had promised.
infraction
violation
Because of his many infractions of school regulations, he was suspended by the dean.
ingenious
clever
He came up with a use for Styrofoam packing balls that was so ingenious that his business school
professors declared it was marketable.
ingenuous
naive; young and unsophisticated
Although she was over forty, the movie star still insisted that she be cast as an ingenuous sweet young
thing.
ingrained
deeply established; firmly rooted
Try as they would, the missionaries were unable to uproot the ingrained superstitions of the natives.
inherent
firmly established by nature or habit
His inherent love of justice compelled him to come to their aid.
inimitable
matchless; not able to be imitated
We admire Auden for his inimitable use of language; he is one of a kind.
iniquitous
unjust; wicked I cannot approve of the iniquitous methods you used to gain your present position.
initiate
begin; originate; receive into a group
The college is about to initiate a program for reducing math anxiety among students.
inkling
hint
This came as a complete surprise to me as I did not have the slightest inkling of your plans.
innuendo
hint; insinuation
I can defend myself against direct accusations; innuendos and oblique attacks on my character are what
trouble me.
inopportune
untimely; poorly chosen
A rock concert is an inopportune setting for a quiet conversation.
inquisitive
unduly curious; prying; seeking knowledge
We need more inquisitive students in this school; lectures are dull.
inquisitor
questioner (specially harsh); investigator
Fearing being grilled ruthlessly by the secret police, Marsha faced her inquisitors with trepidation.
insalubrious
unwholesome; not healthful
The mosquito-ridden swamp was an insalubrious place, a breeding ground for malarial contagion.
insatiable
not easily satisfied; greedy
Welty's thirst for knowledge was insatiable; she was in the library day and night.
inscrutable
impenetrable; not readily understood; mysterious
Experienced poker players try to keep their expressions inscrutable, hiding their reactions to the cards
behind a so-called poker face.
insensible
unconscious; unresponsive
Sherry and I are very different; at times when I would be covered with embarrassment, she seems
insensible to shame.
insidious
treacherous; stealthy; sly
The fifth column is insidious because it works secretly within our territory for our defeat.
insipid
lacking in flavor; dull
Flat prose and flat ginger ale are equally insipid: both lack sparkle.
insolence
imprudent disrespect; haughtiness
How dare you treat me so rudely! The manager will hear of you insolence.
insolvent
bankrupt; lacking money to pay
When rumors that he was insolvent reached his creditors, they began to press him for payment of the
money due them.
insomnia
wakefulness; inability to sleep
He refused to join us in a midnight cup of coffee because he claimed it gave him insomnia.
insouciant
indifferent; without concern or care
Your insouciant attitude at such a critical moment indicates that you do not understand the gravity of the
situation.
insubstantial
lacking substance; insignificant; frail
His hopes for a career in acting proved insubstantial; no one would cast him, even in an insubstantial role.
insularity
narrow-mindedness; isolation
The insularity of the islanders manifested itself in their suspicion of anyuthing foreign.
insuperable
insurmountable; invincible
In the face of insuperable difficulties they maintained their courage and will to resist.
insurgent
rebellious
We will not discuss reforms until the insurgent troops have returned to their homes.
insurrection
rebellion; uprising
Given the current state of affairs in South Africa, an insurrection seems unavoidable.
intangible
not able to be perceived by touch; vague
Though the financial benefits of his Oxford post were meager, Lewis was drawn to it by its intangible
rewards: prestige, intellectual freedom, the fellowship of his peers.
integral
complete; necessary for completeness
Physical education is an integral part of our curriculum; a sound mind and a sound body are
complementary.
integrate
make whole; combine; make into one unit
She tried to integrate all their activities into one program.
integrity
uprightness; wholeness
Lincoln, whose personal integrity has inspired millions, fought a civil war to maintain the integrity of the
republic, that these United States might remain undivided for all time.
intelligentsia
intellectuals; members of the educated elite
She preferred discussions about sports and politics to the literary conversations of the intelligentsia.
interdict
prohibit; forbid
Civilized nations must interdict the use of nuclear weapons if we expect out society to live.
interim
meantime
The company will not consider our proposal until next week; in the interim, let us proceed as we have in
the past.
interloper
intruder
The merchant thought of his competitors as interlopers who were stealing away his trade.
interminable
endless
Although his speech lasted for only twenty minutes, it seemed interminable to his bored audience.
internecine
mutually destructive
The rising death toll on both sides indicates the internecine natire of his conflict.
interregnum
period between two reigns
Henry VIII desperately sought a male heir because he feared the civil strife that might occur if any
prolonged interregum succeeded his death.
interrogate
question closely; cross-examine
Knowing that the Nazis would interrogate him about his background, the secret agent invented a cover
story that would help him meet their quesions.
intersperse
scatter
The molecules will intersperse throughout the space according to the second law of thermodynamics.
intimidation
fear
A ruler who maintains his power by intimidation is bound to develop clandestine resistance.
intransigence
state of stubborn unwillingness to compromise
The intransigence of both parties in the dispute makes an early settlement almost impossible to obtain.
intrinsically
essentially; inherently; naturally
Although my grandmother's china has intrinsically little value, I shall always cherish it for the memories it
evokes.
introspective
looking within oneself
We all have our introspective moments during which we examine our souls.
introvert
one who is introspective; inclined to think more about oneself
In his poetry, he reveals that he is an introvert by his intense interest in his own problems.
invalidate
weaken; destroy
The relatives who received little or nothing sought to invalidate the will by claiming that the deceased had
not been in his right mind when he signed the document.
inveigh
denounce; utter censure or invective He inveighed against the demagoguery of the previous speaker and urged that the audience reject his
philosophy as dangerous.
invert
turn upside down or inside out
When he inverted his body in a hand stand, he felt the blood rush to his head.
invidious
designed to create ill will or envy
We disregarded her invidious remarks because we realized how jealous she was.
inviolability
security from being destroyed, corrupted or profaned
They respected the inviolability of her faith and did not try to change her manner of living.
irate
angry
When John's mother found out that he had overthrown his checking account for the third month in a row,
she was so irate that she could scarcely speak to him.
iridescent
exhibiting rainbowlike colors
She admired the iridescent hues of the oil that floated on the surface of the water.
irksome
annoying; tedious
He found working on the assembly line irksome because of the monotony of the operation he had to
perform.
ironic
occurring in an unexpected and contrary manner
It is ironic that his success came when he least wanted it.
irony
hidden sarcasm or satire; use of words that convey a meaning opposite to the literal meaning
Gradually his listeners began to realize that the excessive praise he was lavishing was merely irony; he was
actually denouncing his opponent.
irreconsilable
incompatible; not able to be resolved
Because the separated couple were irreconcilable, the marriage counselor recommended a divorce.
irrelevant
not applicable; unrelated
This statement is irrelevant and should be disregarded by the jury.
irremediable
incurable; uncorrectable
The error she made was irremediable; she could see no way to repair it.
irreparable
not able to be corrected or repaired
Your apology cannot atone for the irreparable damage you have done to her reputation.
irresolute
uncertain how to act; weak
She had no respect for him because he seemed weak-willed and irresolute.
irreverent
lacking proper respect
The worshippers resented her irreverent remarks about their faith.
isotope
varying form of an element
The study of the isotopes of uranium led to the development of the nuclear bomb.
isthmus
narrow neck of land connecting two larger bodies of land
In a magnificent feat of engineering, Goethals and his men cut through the isthmus of Panama in
constructing the Panama Canal.
itinerant
wandering; traveling
He was an itinerant peddler and traveled through Pennsylvania and Virginia selling his wares.
itinerary
plan of a trip
Before leaving for his first visit to France and England, he discussed his itinerary with people who had
been there and with his travel agent.
jargon
language used by special group; gibberish
We tried to understand the jargon of the peddlers in the market place but could not find any basis for
comprehension.
jaundiced
yellowed; prejudiced; envious
She gazed at the painting with jaundiced eyes; she knew it was better than hers.
jaunty
lighthearted; animated; easy and carefree
In Singing in the Rain, Gene Kelly sang and danced his way throughtthe lighthearted title number in a
properly jaunty style.
jettison
throw overboard
In order to enable the ship to ride safely through the storm, the captain had to jettison much of his cargo.
jingoism
extremely aggressive and militant patriotism
We must be careful to prevent a spirit of jingoism from spreading at this time.
jocose
given to joking
The salesman was so jocose that many of his customers suggested that he become a stand-up comic.
jollity
gaiety; cheerfulness
The festive Christmas dinner was a merry one, and old and young alike joined in the general jollity.
judicious
sound in judgment; wise
At a key moment in his life, he made a judicious investment that was the foundation of his later wealth.
juncture
crisis;joining point
At this critical juncture, let us think carefully before determining the course we shall follow.
junket
trip, especially one taken for pleasure by an official at public expense
Though she maintained she had gone abroad to collect firsthand data on the Common Market, the
opposition claimed that her trip was merely a political junket.
junta
group of persons joined in political intrigue; cabal
As soon as he learned of its existence, the dictator ordered the execution of all of the members of the
junta.
kaleidoscope
tube in which patterns made by the reflection in mirrors of colored pieces of glass, etc.,
produce interesting symmetrical effects
People found a new source of entertainment while peering through the kaleidoscope; they found the ever-
changing patterns fascinating.
killjoy
grouch; spoilsport
At breakfast we had all been enjoying our bacon and eggs until that killjoy John started talking about how
bad animal fats and cholesterol were for our health.
kinetic
producing motion
Designers of the electric automobile find that their greatest obstacle lies in the development of light and
efficient storage batteries, the source of the kinetic energy needed to propel the vehicle.
kleptomaniac
person who has a compulsive desire to steal
They discovered that the wealthy customer was a kleptomaniac when they caught her stealing some cheap
trinkets.
knell
tolling of a bell, especially to indicate a funeral, disaster, etc.; sound of the funeral bell
"The curfew tolls the knell of parting day."
knoll
little, round hill
Robert Louis Stevenson's grave is on a knoll in Samoa; to reach the grave site, you must climb uphill and
walk a short distance along a marked path.
knotty
intricate; difficult; tangled
What to Watson had been a knotty problem to Sherlock Holmes was simplicity itself.
kudos
honor; glory; praise
The singer complacently received kudos on his performance from his entourage.
labile
likely to change; unstable
Because the hormonal changes they undergo affect their spirits, adolescents may become emotionally labile
and experience sudden shifts of mood.
laborious
demanding much work or care; tedious
In putting together his dictionary of the English language, Doctor Johnson undertook a laborious task.
lachrymose
producing tears
His voice has a lachrymose quality that is more appropriate at a funeral than a class reunion.
laconic
brief and to the point
Many of the characters portrayed by Clint Eastwood are laconic types: strong men of few words.
laity
laypersons; persons not connected with the clergy
The laity does not always understand the clergy's problems.
lambaste
beat; thrash verbally or physically
It was painful to watch the champion lambaste his opponent, tearing into him mercilessly.
lament
grieve; express sorrow
Even advocates of the war lamented the loss of so many lives in combat.
languor
lassitude; depression
His friends tried to overcome the languor into which he had fallen by taking him to parties and to the
theater.
larceny
theft
Because of the prisoner's record, the district attorney refused to reduce the charge from grand larceny to
petit larceny.
larder
pantry; place where food is kept
The first thing Bill did on returning home from school was to check what snacks his mother had in the
larder.
lascivious
lustful
Because they might arouse lascivious impulses in their readers, the lewd books were banned by the clergy.
lassitude
languor; weariness
The hot, tropical weather created a feeling of lassitude and encouraged drowsiness.
lateral
coming from the side
In order to get good plant growth, the gardener must pinch off all lateral shoots.
latitude
freedom from narrow limitations
I think you have permitted your son too much latitude in this matter.
laxative
facilitating evacuation of the bowels
The effect of the constipation medicine is laxative; it empties the bowels.
leaven
cause to rise or grow lighter; enliven
As bread dough is leavened, it puffs up, expanding in volume.
lechery
gross lewdness; lustfulness
In his youth he led a life of lechery and debauchery; he did not mend his ways until middle age.
leery
suspicious; cautious
Don't eat sushi at this restaurant; I'm a bit leery about how fresh it is.
legend
explanatory list of symbols on a map
The legend at the bottom of the map made it clear which symbols stood for rest areas along the highway
and which stood for public camp sites.
leniency
mildness; permissiveness
Considering the gravity of the offense, we were surprised by the leniency of the sentence.
levee
earthen or stone embankment to prevent flooding
As the river rose and threatened to overflow the levee, emergency workers rushed to reinforce the walls
with sandbags.
levitate
float in the air (especially by magical means)
As the magician passed his hands over the recumbent body of his assistant, she appeared to rise and
levitate about three feet above the table.
levity
lack of seriousness or steadiness; frivolity
Stop giggling abd wriggling around in the pew; such levity is improper in church.
levy
impose (a fine); collect (a payment)
Crying "No taxation withouth representation," the colonists demonstrated against England's power to levy
taxes.
lexicographer
compiler of a dictionary
The new dictionary is the work of many lexicographers who spent years compiling and editing the work.
liability
drawback; debts
Her lack of an extensive vocabulary was a liability that she was able to overcome.
liaison
officer who acts as go-between for two armies; intermediary
As the liason, he had to avoid offending the leaders of the two armies.
libelous
defamatory; injurious to the good name of a person
He sued the newspaper because of its libelous story.
libertine
debauched person, roue Although she was aware of his reputation as a libertine, she felt she could reform him and help him break
his dissolute way of life.
libido
emotional urges behind human activity
The psychiatrist maintained that suppression of the libido often resulted in maladjustment and neuroses.
libretto
text of an opera
The composer of an opera's music is remembered more frequently than the author of its libretto.
licentious
wanton; lewd; dissolute
The licentious monarch helped bring about his country's downfall.
lien
legal claim on a property
There was a delay before Ralph could take possession of his late uncle's home; apparently, another
claimant had a lien upon the estate.
ligneous
like wood
Petrified wood may be ligneous in appearance, but it is stonelike in composition.
limbo
region near heaven or hell where certain souls are kept
Among the divisions of Hell are Purgatory and limbo.
limn
draw; outline; describe
Parodoxically, the more realistic the details this artist chooses, the better able to limn her fantastic, other-
worldly landscapes.
linguistic
pertaining to language
The modern tourist will encounter very little linguistic difficulty as English has become an almost universal
language.
listless
lacking in spirit or energy
We had expected him to be full of enthusiasm and were surprised by his listless attitude.
litany
supplicatory prayer
On this solemn day, the congregation responded to the prayers of the priest during the litany with fervor
and intensity.
litotes
understatement for emphasis
To say, "He little realizes," when we mean that he does not realize at all, is an example of the kind of
understatement we call litotes.
livid
lead-coloredl; black and blue; ashen; enraged
His face was so livid with rage that we were afraid that he might have an attack of apoplexy.
lode
metal-bearing vein
If this lode that we have discovered extends for any distance, we have found a fortune.
lope
gallop slowly
As the horses loped along, we had an opportunity to admire the ever-changing scenery.
low
moo
From the hilltop, they could see the herd like ants in the distance; they could barely hear the cattle low.
lucid
easily understood; clear; intelligible
Her explanation was lucid enought for a child to grasp.
lumber
move heavily of clumsily
Still somewhat torpid after its long hibernation, the bear lumbered through the woods.
lumen
unit of light energy (one candle's worth)
In buying light bulbs, she checked not only their power, as measured in watts, but their brightness, as
measured in lumens.
luminary
celebrity; dignitary
A leading light of the American stage, Ethel Barrymore was a theatrical luminary whose name lives on.
lurk
stealthily lie in waiting; slink; exist unperceived
"Who knows what evils lurk in the hearts of men? The shadow knows."
macerate
soften by soaking in liquid; waste away
The strawberries had been soaking in the champagn for so long that they had begun to macerate: they
literally fell apart at the touch of a spoon.
mace
ceremonial staff; clublike medieval weapon
The Grand Marshal of the parade raised his mace to signal that it was time for the procession to begin.
machiavellian
crafty; double-dealing
I do not think he will be a good embassador because he is not accustomed to the machiavellian
maneuverings of foreign diplomats.
maculated
spotted; stained
Instead of writing that Gorbachev had a birthmark on his forehead, the pompous young poet sang of the
former premier's maculated brow.
madrigal
pastoral song
His program of folk songs included several madrigals which he sang to the accompaniment of a lute.
magisterial
authoritative; imperious
The learned doctor laid down the law to his patient in a magisterial tone of voice.
magnanimity
generosity
Noted for his magnanimity, philanthropist Eugene Lang donated millions to charity.
magnate
person of prominence or influence
The steel magnate decided to devote more time to city politics.
magniloquent
boastful, pompous
In their stories of the trial, the reporters ridiculed the magniloquent speeches of the defense attorney.
maim
mutilate; injure
The hospital could not take care of all who had been mangled or maimed in the railroad accident.
maladroit
clumsy; bungling
In his usual maladroit way, he managed to upset the cart and spill the food.
malapropism
comic misuse of a word
When Mrs. Malaprop criticizes Lydia for being "as headstrong as an allegory on the banks of the Nile," she
confuses "allegory" and "allegator" in a typical malapropism.
malcontent
person dissatisfied with existing state of affairs
He was one of the few malcontents in the Congress; he constantly voiced his objections to the Presidential
program.
malfeasance
wrongdoing
The authorities did not discover the campaign manager's malfeasance until after he had spent most of the
money he had embezzled.
malignant
having an evil influence; virulent
This is a malignant disease; we must have to use drastic measures to stop its spread.
malign
speak evil of; defame
Because of her hatred of the family, she maligns all who are friendly to them.
malingerer
one who feigns illness to escape duty
The captain ordered the sergeant to punish all malingerers and force them to work.
mammal
vertebrate animal whose female suckles its young
Many people regard the whale as a fish and do not realize that it is a mammal.
mandate
order; charge
In his inaugural address, the President stated that he had a mandate from the people to seek an end to
social evils such as poverty and poor housing.
manifestation
outward demonstration; indication
Mozart's early attraction to the harsichord was the first manifestation of his pronounced musical bent.
manifesto
declaration; statement of policy
The Communist Manifesto by Marx and Engels proclaimed the principles of modern communism.
manifold
numerous; varied
I cannot begin to tell you how much I appreciate your manifold kindnesses.
manipulate
operate with the hands; control or change by artful means
How do you manipulate these puppets?
mannered
affected; not natural
Attempting to copy the style of his wealthy neighbors, Gatsby adopted a mannered, artificial way of
speech.
manumit
emancipate; free from bondage
Enlightened slave owners were willing to manumit their slaves and thus put an end to the evil slavery in the
country.
marital
pertaining to marriage
After the publication of his book on marital affairs, he was often consulted by married people on the verge
of divorce.
marked
noticeable; targeted for vengeance
He walked with a marked limp, a souvenir of an old IRA attack. As British ambassador, he knew he was a
marked man.
marshal
put in order
At a debate tournament, extemporaneous speakers have only a minute or two to marshal their thoughts
before addressing their audience.
marsupial
one of a family of mammals that nurse their offspring in a pouch
The most common marsupial in North America is the opposum.
martinet
strict disciplinarian
The commanding officer was a martinet who observed each regulation to the ltter.
martrix
point of origin; array of numbers or algebraic symbols; mold or die
Some historians claim the Nile Valley was the matrix of the Western civilization.
masochist
person who enjoys his own pain
The masochist begs, "Hit me." The sadist smiles and says, "I won't."
masticate
chew
We must masticate our food carefully and slowly in order to avoid digestive disorders.
materialism
preoccupation with physical comforts and things
By its nature, materialism is opposed to idealism, for where the materialist emphasizes the needs of the
body, the idealist emphasizes the needs of the soul.
maternal
motherly Many animals display maternal instincts only while their offspring are young and helpless.
matriarch
woman who rules a family or larger social group
The matriarch ruled her gypsy tribe with a firm hand.
mauve
pale purple
The mauve tint in the lilac bush was another indication that spring had finally arrived.
maverick
rebel; nonconformist
To the masculine literary establishment, George Sand with her insistence on wearing trousers and smoking
cigars was clearly a maverick who fought her proper womanly role.
mayhem
injury to the body
The riot was marked not only by mayhem, with its attendant loss of life and limb, but also by arson and
pillage.
mealymouthed
indirect speech; hypocritical; evasive
Rather than tell Jill directly what he disliked, Jack made a few mealymouthed comments and tried to change
the subject.
meander
to wind or turn in its course
It is difficult to sail up this stream because of the way it meanders through the countryside.
mediate
settle a dispute through the services of an outsider
Let us mediate out differences rather than engage in a costly strike.
mediocre
ordinary; commonplace
We were disappointed because he gave a rather mediocre performance in this role.
meek
submissive; patient and long-suffering
Mr. Barrett never expected his meek daughter would dare to defy him by eloping with her suitor.
megalomania
mania for doing grandiose things
Developers who spend millions trying to build the world's tallest skyscraper suffer from megalomania.
melee
fight
The captain tried to ascertain the cause of the melee that had broken out among the crew members.
memorialize
commemorate
Let us memorialize his great contribution by dedicating this library in his honor.
mendacious
lying; false
He was pathological liar, and his friends learned to discount his mendacious stories.
menial
suitable for sevants; low
I cannot understand why a person of your ability and talent should engage in such menial activities.
mentor
counselor; teacher
During this very trying period, she could not have had a better mentor, for the teacher was sympathetic
and understanding.
mercantile
concerning trade
I am more interested in the opportunites available in the mercantile field than I am in those in the legal
profession.
mercenary
motivated solely by money or gain
"I'm not in this war because I get my kicks waving flags," said the mercenary soldier. "I'm in it for the
dough."
merger
combination (of two business corporations)
When the firm's president married the director of financial planning, the office joke was that it wasn't a
marriage, it was a merger.
metallurgical
pertaining to the art of removing metals from ores
During the course of his metallurgical research, the scientist developed a steel alloy of tremendous
strength.
metamorphosis
change of form
The metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly is typical of many such changes in animal life.
metaphor
implied comparison
"He soared like an eagle" is an example of a simile; "He is an eagle in flight," is a metaphor.
metaphysical
pertaining to speculative philosophy
The modern poets have gone back to the fanciful poems of the metaphysical poets of the seventeenth
century for many of their images.
methodical
systematic
An accountant must be methodical and maintain order among his financial records.
metropolis
large city
Every evening this terminal is filled with the thousands of commuters who are going from this metropolis
to their homes in the suburbs.
mettle
courage; spirit
When challenged by the other horses in the race, the thoroughbred proved its mettle by its determination
to hold the lead.
miasma
swamp gas; heavy, vaporous atmosphere, often emanating from decaying matter; pervasive
corrupting influence The smog hung over Victorian London like a dark cloud; noisome, reeking of decay, it was a visible
miasma.
microcosm
small world
In the microcosm of our rural village, we find illustrations of all the evils that beset the universe.
migratory
wandering
The return of the migratory birds to the northern sections of this country is a harbinger of spring.
milieu
environment; means of expression
His milieu is watercolors, although he has produced excellent oil paintings and lithographs.
militant
combative; bellicose
Althoughat this time he was advocating a policy of neutrality, one could usually find him adopting a more
militant attitude.
militate
work against
Your record of lateness and absence will militate against your chances of promotion.
millenium
thousand-year period; period of happiness and prosperity
I do not expect the milennium to come during my lifetime.
millinery
person who makes or sells women's hats
The millinery displayed fashionable hats in the street where many women passed by.
mimicry
imitation
Her gift for mimicry was so great that her friends said that she should be in the theater.
minatory
menacing; threatening
Jabbing a minatory forefinger at Dorothy, the Wicked Witch cried, "I'll get you, and your little dog, too!"
minion
a servile dependent
He was always accompanied by several of his minions because he enjoyed their subservience and flattery.
minuscule
extremely small
Why should I involve myself with a project with so minuscule a chance for success?
minute
extremely small
The twins resembled one another closely; only minute differences set them apart.
mirage
unreal reflection; optical illusion
The lost prospector was fooled by a mirage in the desert.
misanthrope
one who hates mankind
We thought the hermit was a miantrope because he shunned our society.
misapprehension
error; misunderstanding
To avoid msapprehension, I am going to ask all of you to repeat the instructions I have given.
miscellany
mixture of writings on various subjects
This is an interesting miscellany of nineteenth-century prose and poetry.
misconstrue
interpret incorrectly; misjudge
She took the passage seriously rather than humourously because she misconstrued the author's ironic tone.
miscreant
wretch; villain
His kindness to the miscreant amazed all of us who had expected to hear severe punishment pronounced.
misdemeanor
minor crime
The culprit pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor rather than face trial for a felony.
misgivings
doubts
Hamlet described his misgivings to Horatio but decided to fence with Laertes despite his foreboding of
evil.
misnomer
wrong name; incorrect designation
His tyrannical conduct proved to all that his nickname, King Eric the Just, was a misnomer.
misogamy
hatred of marriage
He remained a bachelor not because of misogamy but because of ill fate: his fiancee died before the
wedding.
misogynist
hater of women
She accused him of being a misogynist because he had been a bachelor all his life.
mobile
movable; not fixed
The mobile blood bank operated by the Red Cross visited our neighborhood today.
modicum
limited quantity
Although his story is based on a modicum of truth, most of the events he describes are fictitious.
modulation
toning down; changing from one key to another
When we she spoke, it was with quiet modulation of voice.
molecule
the smallest particle (one or more atoms) of a substance that has all the properties of that
substance
In chemistry, we study how atoms and molcules react to form new substances.
molten
melted
The city of Pompeii was destroyed by volcanic ash rather than by molten lava flowing from Mount Vesuvius.
momentum
quantity of motion of a moving body; impetus
The car lost momentum as it tried to ascend the steep hill.
monarchy
government under a single hereditary ruler with varying degrees of power
England today remains a monarchy.
monetary
pertaining to money
Jane held the family purse strings: she made all monetary decisions affecting the household.
monochromatic
having only one color
Most people who are color blind actually can distinguish several colors; some, however, have a truly
monochromatic view of a world all in shades of gray.
monolithic
solidly uniform; unyielding
Knowing the importance of appearing resolute, the patriots sought to present a monolithic front.
monotony
sameness leading to boredom
He took a clerical job, but soon grew to hate the monotony of his daily routine.
moratorium
legal delay of payment
If we declare a moratorium and delay collection of debts for six months, I am sure the farmers will be able
to meet their bills.
morbid
given to unwholesome thought; gloomy
These morbid speculations are dangerous; we must lighten our spirits by emphasizing more pleasant
matters.
moribund
at the point of death
The doctors called the family to the bedside of the moribund patient.
mortify
humiliate; punish the flesh
She was so mortified by her blunder that she ran to her room in tears.
mosaic
picture made of smell, colorful inlaid tiles
The mayor compared the ciry to a beautiful mosaic made up of people of every race and religion on earth.
motility
ability to move spontaneously
Certain organisms exhibit remarkable motility; motile spores, for example, may travel for miles before
coming to rest.
mulct
defraud a person of something
The lawyer was accused of trying to mulct the boy of his legacy.
multifarious
varied; greatly diversified
A career woman and mother, she was constantly busy with the multifarious activities of her daily life.
multilingual
having many languages
Because they are bordered by so many countries, the Swiss people are multilingual.
multiplicity
state of being numerous
He was appalled by the multuplicity of details he had to complete before setting out on his mission.
mundane
worldly as opposed to spiritual
He was concerned only with mundane matters, especially the daily stock market quotations.
muse
ponder
For a moment he mused about the beauty of the scene, but his thought soon changed as he recalled his
own personal problems.
mutable
changing in form; fickle
His opinion were mutable and easily influenced by anyone who had any powers of persuasion.
myopic
nearsighted
In thinking only of your present needs and ignoring the future, you are being rather myopic.
nadir
lowest point
Although few people realized it, the Dow-Jones averages had reached their nadir and would soon begin an
upward surge.
naivete
quality of being unsophisticated
I cannot believe that such naivete is unassumed in a person of her age and experience.
narrative
related to telling a story
A born teller of tales, Olsen used her impressive narrative skills to advantage in her story "I Stand Here
Ironing."
nascent
incipient; coming into being
If we could identify these revolutionary movements in their nascent state, we would be able to eliminate
serious trouble in later years.
natty
neatly or smartly dresssed
Priding himself on being a natty dresser, the gangster Bugsy Siegel collected a wardrobe of imported suits
and ties.
nautical
pertaining to ships or navigation
The Maritime Museum contains many models of clipper ships, logbooks, anchors and many other items of
a nautical nature.
necromancy
black magic; dealings with the dead
Because he was able to perform feats of necromancy, the natives thought he was in league with the devil.
negation
denial
I must accept his argument since you have been unable to present any negation of his evidence.
negligible
so small, trifling, or unimportant as to be easily disregarded
Because the damage to his car had been negligible, Michael decided he wouldn't bother to report the
matter to his insurance company.
neologism
new or newly coined word or phrase
As we invent new techniques and professions, we must also invent neologisms such as "microcomputer"
and "astronaut" to describe them.
neophyte
recent convert; beginner
This monuntain slope contains slides that will challenge esperts as well as neophytes.
nepotism
favoritism (to a relative)
John left his position with the company because he felt that advancement was based on nepotism rather
than ability.
niggardly
meanly stingy; parsimonious
The niggardly pittance the widow receives from the government cannot keep her from poverty.
nihilism
denial of traditional values; total skepticism
nihilism holds that existence has no meaning.
nirvana
Buddihist teachings, the ideal state in which the individual loses himself in the attainment of an
impersonal beatitude
Despite his desire to achieve nirvana, the young Buddhist found that even the buzzing of a fly could
distract him from his meditation.
nocturnal
done at night
Mr. Jones obtained a watchdog to prevent the nocturnal raids on his chicken coops.
noisome
foul smelling; unwholesome
I never could stand the noisome atmosphere surrounding the slaughter houses.
nonchalance
indifference; lack of interest
Few people could understand how he could listen to the news of the tragedy with such nonchalance; the
mahority regarded him as callous and unsympathetic.
noncommittal
neutral; unpledged; undecided
We were annoyed by his noncommittal reply for we had been led to expect definite assurances of his
approval.
nondescript
undistinctive; ordinary
The private detective was a short, nondescript fellow with no ourstanding features, the sort of person one
would never notice in a crowd.
nonentity
person of no importance; nonexistence
Don't dismiss John as a nonentity; in his quiet way, he's very important to the firm.
nonplus
bring to a halt by confusion; perplex
Jack's uncharacteristic rudeness nonplussed Jill, leaving her uncertain how to react.
nostalgia
homesickness; longing for the past
The first settlers found so much work to do that they had little time for nostalgia.
notoriety
disrepute; ill fame
To the starlet, any publicity was good publicity: if she couldn't have a good reputation, she'd settle for
notoriety.
nuance
shade of difference in meaning or color
The unskilled eye of the layperson has difficulty in dicerning the nuances of color in the paintings.
nubile
marrigeable
Mrs. Bennet, in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, was worried about finding suitable husbands for her
five nubile daughters.
nurture
nourish; educate; foster
The head Start program attempts to nurture prekindergarten children so that they will do well when they
enter public school.
nutrient
nourishing substance
As a budding nutritionist, Kim has learned to design diets that contain foods rich in important basic
nutrients.
obelisk
tall column tapering and ending in a pyramid
Cleopatra's Needle is an obelisk in New York City's Central Park.
objective
not influenced by emotions; fair
Even though he was her son, she tried to be objective about his behavior.
obligatory
binding; required
It is obligatory that books borrowed from the library be returned within two weeks.
oblique
slanting; deviating from the perpendicular or from a straight line
The sergeant ordered the men to march "oblique right."
obscure
dark; vague; unclear
Even after I read the poem a fourth time, its meaning was still obscure.
obscure
darken; make unclear
At times he seemed purposely to obscure his meaning, preferring mystery to clarity.
obsequious
slavishly attentive; servile; sycophantic
Helen valued people who behaved as if they respected themselves; nothing irritated her more than an
excessively obsequious waiter or a fawning salesclerk.
obsession
fixed idea; continued brooding
This obsession with the supernatural has made him unpopular with his neighbors.
obsidian
clak volcanic rock
The deposits of obsidian on the mountain slopes were an indiacation that volcano had erupted in ancient
times.
obstetrician
physician specializing in delivery of babies
Unlike midwives, who care for women giving birth at home, obstetricians generally work in a hospital
setting.
obstinate
stubborn
We tried to persuade him to give up smoking, but he was obstinate and refused to change.
obstreperous
boisterous; noisy
The crowd became obstreperous and shouted their disapproval of the proposals made by the speaker.
obtrusive
pushing forward
I found her a very obstrusive person, constantly seeking the center of the stage.
obtuse
blunt; stupid
Because he was so obtuse, he could not follow the teacher's reasoning and asked foolish questions.
obviate
make unnecessary; get rid of
I hope this contribution will obviate any need for further collections of funds.
occult
mysterious; secret; supernatural
The occult rites of the organization were revealed only to members.
oculist
physician who specialized in treatment of the eyes
In many states, an oculist is the only one who may apply medicinal drops to the eyes for the purpose of
examining them.
odorous
having an odor
This variety of hybrid tea rose is more odorous than the one you have in your garden.
offensive
attacking; insulting; distasteful
Getting into street brawls is no minor offense for professional boxers, who are required by law to restrict
their offensive impulses to the ring.
offhand
casual; done without prior thought
Expecting to be treated with due propriety by her costs, Great-Aunt Maud was offended by their offhand
manner.
officious
meddlesome; excessively pushy in offering one's services
After her long flight, Jill just wanted to nap, but the officious bellboy was intent on showing her all the
special features of the deluxe suite.
ogle
glance coquettishly at; make eyes at
Sitting for hours at the sidewalk cafe, the old gentleman would oggle the young girls and recall his youthful
romances.
omnipotent
all-powerful
The monarch regarded himself as omnipotent and responsible to no one for his acts.
omnivorous
eating both plant and animal food; devouring everything
Some animals, including humans, are omnivorous and eat both meat and vegetables; others are either
carnivorous or herbivorous.
onomatopoeia
words formed in imitation of natural sounds
Words like "rustle" and "gargle" are illustrations of onomatopoeia.
onslaught
vicious assault
We suffered many casualties during unexpected onslaght of the enemy troops.
onus
burden; responsibility
The emperor was spared the onus of signing the surrender papers; instead, he relegated the assignment to
his generals.
opiate
sleep producer; deadener of pain
By such opiates, she made the people forget their difficulties and accept their unpleasant circumstances.
opportunist
individual who sacrifices principles for expediency by taking advantage of circumstances
Forget about ethics! He's such an opportunist that he'll vote in favor of any deal that will give him a break.
opprobrium
infamy; vilification
He refused to defend himself against the slander and opprobrium hurled against him by the newspapers; he
preferred to rely on his record.
optician
maker and seller of eyeglasses
The patient took the prescription given him by his oculist to the optician.
optimist
person who looks on the bright side
The pessimist says the glass is half-empty; the optimist says it is half-full.
optimum
most favorable
If you wait for the optimum moment to act, you may never begin your project .
optional
not compulsory; left to one's choice
I was impressed by the range of optional accessories for my microcomputer that were available.
optometrist
one who fits glasses to remedy visual defects
Although an optometrist is qualified to treat many eye disorders, she may not use medicinesor surgery in
her examinations.
opulence
extreme wealth; luxuriousness; abundance
The glitter and opulence of the ballroom took Cinderella's breath away.
oratorio
dramatic poem set to music
The Glee Club decided to present an oratorio during their recital.
ordain
command; arrange; consecrate
The king ordained that no foreigner should be allowed to enter the city.
ordeal
severe trial or affliction
Terry Anderson spoke movingly of his long ordeal as a hostage in Lebanon.
ordination
ceremony conferring holy orders
The candidate for ordination had to meet with the bishop and the diocean officers before being judged
ready to be ordained a deacon.
orientation
act of finding oneself in society
Freshman orientation provides the incoming students with an opportunity to learn about their new
environment and their place in it.
orient
get one's bearings; adjust
Philip spent his first day in Denver orienting himself to the city.
orifice
mouthlike opening; small opening
The Howe Caverns were discovered when someone observed that a cold wind was issuing from an orifice
in the hillside.
ornate
excessively or elaborately decorated
Furniture of the Baroque period can be recognized by its ornate carvings.
ornithologist
scientific student of birds
Auduborn's drawings of American bird life have been of interest not only to the ornithologists but also to
the general public.
orthodox
traditional; conservative in belief
Faced with a problem, he preferred to take an orthodox approach rather than shock anyone.
orthography
correct spelling
Many of us find English orthography difficult to master because so many of our words are written
phonetically.
oscillate
vibrate pendulumlike; waver
It is interesting to note how public opinion oscillates between the extremes of optimism and pessimism.
osseus
made of bone; bony
The hollow "soft spot" found at the top of the infant's skull gradually closes as new osseus tissue fills in the
gap.
ossify
change or harden into bone
When he called his opponent a "bonehead," he implied that his adversary's brain had ossified and that he
was not capable of clear thinking.
ostensible
apparent; professed; pretended
Although the ostensible purpose of this expedition is to discover new lands, we are really interested in
finding new markets for our products.
ostentatious
showy; pretentious; trying to attract attention
Trump's latest casino in Atlantic City is the most ostentatious gambling place in the East: it easily
outglitters its competitors.
ostracize
exclude from public favor; ban
As soon as the newspapers carried the story of his connection with the criminals, his friends began to
ostracize him.
outlandish
bizzare; peculiar; unconventional
The eccentric professor who engages in markedly outlandish behavior is a stock figure in novels with an
academic setting.
outmoded
no longer stylish; old-fahioned
Unconcerned about keeping in style, Lenore was perfectly happy to wear outmoded clothes as long as they
were clean and unfrayed.
outrtip
surpass; outdo
Jesse Owens easily outstripped his competitors to win the gold metal at the Olympic Games.
outskirts
fringes; outer borders
Living outskirts of Boston, Sarah sometimes felt as if she were cut off from the cultural heart of the city.
outspoken
candid; blunt
The candidate was too outspoken to be a successful politician; he had not yet learned to weigh his words
carefully.
outwit
outsmart; trick
By disguising himself as an old woman, Holmes was able to outwit his pursuers and escape capture.
ovation
enthusiastic applause
When Placido Domingo came on stage in the first act of La Boheme, he was greeted by a tremendous
ovation.
overbearing
bossy; arrogant; decisively important Certain of her own importance and of the unimportance of everyone else, Lady Bracknell was intolerably
overbearing in manner. "In choosing a husband," she said, "good birth is of overbearing importance;
compared to that, neither wealth nor talent signifie
overhaul
thoroughly examine the condition of and repair if necessary
It is necessary for the engineers of NASA to overhaul the rocket everyday; otherwise, an incident similar to
that of Challenger accident might happen.
overt
open to view
According to the United States Constitution, a person must commit an overt act before he may be tried for
treason.
overwrought
extremely agitated; hysterical
When Kate heard the news of the sudden tragedy, she became too overwrought to work and had to leave
the office early.
pacifist
one opposed to force; antimilitarist
The pacifists urged that we reduce our military budget and recall our troops stationed overseas.
pacify
soothe; make calm or quiet; subdue
Dentists criticize the practice of giving fussy children sweets to pacify them.
painstaking
showing hard work; taking great care
The new high-frequency word list is the result of painstaking efforts on the part of our research staff.
palatable
agreeable; pleasing to the taste
Neither Jack's underbaked opinions nor his overcooked casseroles were palatable to me.
paleontology
study of prehistoric life The professor of paleontology had a superb collection of fossils.
palette
board on which a painter mixes pigments
At the present time, art supply stores are selling a paper palette that may be discarded after use.
palimpsest
parchment used for second time after original writing has been erased
Using chemical reagents, scientists have been able to restore the original writings on many palimpsests.
palliate
ease pain; make less severe or offensive
If we cannot cure this disease at present, we can, at least try to palliate the symptoms.
pallid
pale; wan
Because his occupation required that he work at night and sleep during the day, he had an exceptionally
pallid complexion.
palpable
tangible; easily perceptible
I cannot understand how you could overlook such a palpable blunder.
palpitate
throb; flutter
As he became excited, his heart began to palpitate more and more erratically.
panacea
cure-all; remedy for all diseases
There is no easy panacea that will solve our complicated international situation.
panache
flair; flamboyance
Many performers imitate Noel Coward, but few have his panache and sense of style.
pandemic
widespread; affecting the majority of people
They feared the AIDS epidemic would soon reach pandemic proportions.
pandemonium
wild tumult
When the ships collided in the harbor, pandemonium broke out among the passengers.
pander
cater to the low desires of others
The reviewer accused the makers of Lethal Weapon of pandering to the masses' taste of violence.
panegyric
formal praise
The modest hero blushed to hear the speakers delivering panegyrics about his valorous act.
panoramic
denoting an unobstructed and comprehensive view
On a clear day, from the top of the World Trade Center you can get a panoramic view of New York City
and neighboring stretches of New Jersey and Long Island.
pantomime
acting without dialogue
Because he worked in pantomime, the clown could be understood wherever he appeared.
pan
criticize harshly
Hoping for a rave review of his new show, the playwright was miserable when the critics panned it
unanimously.
papyrus
ancient paper made from stem of papyrus plant
The ancient Egyptians were among the first to write on papyrus.
parable
short, simple story teaching a moral
Let us apply to our own conduct the lesson that this parable teaches.
paradigm
model; example; pattern
Pavlov's experiment in which he trains a dog to salivate on hearing a bell is a paradigm of the conditioned-
response experiment in behavioal psychology.
paradox
statement that looks false but is actually correct; a contradictory statement
Wordworth's "The child is father to the man" is an example of paradox.
paragon
model of perfection
The class disliked him because the teacher was always pointing him out as a paragon of virtue.
paramount
foremost in importance; supreme
Proper nutrition and hygiene are of paramount importance in adolescent development and growth.
paramour
illicit lover
She sought a divorce on the grounds that her husband had a paramour in another town.
paranoia
psychosis marked by delusions of grandeur or persecution
Suffering from paranois, he claimed everyone was out to get him; ironically, his claim was accurate; even
paranoids have enemies.
paraphernalia
equipment; odds and ends
His desk was cluttered with paper, pen, ink, dictionary and other paraphernalia of the writing craft.
paraphrase
restate a passage in one's own words while retaining thought of author
In 250 words or less, paraphrase this article.
parasite
animal or plant living on another; toady; sycophant The tapeworm is an example of the kind of parasite that may infest the human body.
parity
equality; close resemblance
I find your analogy inaccurate because I do not see the parity between the two illustrations.
parochial
narrow in outlook; provincial; related to parishes
Although Jane Austen writes novels set in small rural communities, her concerns are universal, not
parochial.
parody
humorous imitation; travesty
We enjoyed the clever parodies of popular songs that the chorus sang.
paroxysm
fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage
When he heared of his son's misdeeds, he was seized by a paroxysm of rage.
parquet
floor made of wood strips inlaid in a mosic-like pattern.
In laying the floor, the carpenters combined redwood and oak in an elegant parquet.
parry
ward off a blow
He was content to wage a defensive battle and tried to parry his opponent's thrusts.
parsimonious
stingy; excessively frugal
His parsimonious nature did not permit him to enjoy any luxuries.
partiality
inclination; bias
As a judge, not only must I be unbiased, but I must also avoid any evidence of partiality when I award the
prize.
partial
incomplete
In this issue we have published only a partial list of contributors because we lack space to acknowledge
everyone.
partisan
one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party
On certain issues of conscience, she refused to take a partisan stand.
passive
not active; acted upon
Mahatma Gandhi urged his followers to pursue a program of passive resistance as he felt that it was more
effective than violence and acts of terrorism.
pastiche
imitation of another's style in musical composition or in writing
We cannot even say that her music is a pastiche of this or that composer; it is rather, reminiscent of many
musicians.
pastoral
rural
In these stories of pastoral life, we find an understanding of the daily tasks of country folk.
patent
open for the public to read; obvious
It was patent to everyone that the witness spoke the truth.
pathetic
causing sadness, compassion, pity; touching
Everyone in the auditorium was weeping by the time he finished his pathetic tale about the orphaned boy.
pathological
pertaining to disease
As we study the pathological aspects of this disease, we must not overlook the psychological elements.
pathos
tender to sorrow; pity; quality in art or literature that produces these feelings.
The quiet tone of pathos that ran through the novel never degenerated into the maudlin or the overly
sentimental.
patina
green crust on old bronze works; tone slowly taken by varnished painting
Judging by the patina on this bronze statue, we can conclude that this is the work of a medieval artist.
patois
local or provincial dialect
His years of study of the language at the university did not enable him to understand the patois of the
natives.
patriarch
father and ruler of a family or tribe
In many primitive tribes, the leader and lawmaker was the patriarch.
patronize
support; act superior toward
Experts in a field sometimes appear to patronize people who are less knowledgeable of the subject.
paucity
scarcity
They closed the restaurant because the paucity of customers made it uneconomical to operate.
pauper
very poor person
Though Widow Brown was living on a reduced income, she was by no means a pauper.
peccadillo
slight offense
If we examine these escapades carefully, we will realize that they are mere peccadilloes rather than major
crimes.
pedagogue
teacher
He could never be a stuffy pedagogue; his classes were always lively and filled with humor.
pedagogy
teaching; art of education
Though Maria Montessori gained fame for her innovations in pedagogy, it took years before her teaching
techniques became common practice in American schools.
pedantic
showing off learning; bookish
Leaving his decisions with humorous, down-to-earth anecdotes, Judge Walker was not at all pedantic legal
scholar.
pedant
scholar who overemphasizes book learning or technicalities
Her insistence that the book be memorized marked the teacher as a pedant rather than a scholar.
pedestrian
ordinary; unimaginative
Unintentionally boring, he wrote page after page of pedestrian prose.
pediatrician
physician specializing in children's diseases.
The family doctor advised the parents to consult a pediatrician about their child's ailment.
pejorative
negative in connotation; having a belittling effect.
Instead of criticizing Clinton's policies, the Republicans made pejorative remarks about his character.
pellmell
in confusion; disorderly
The excited students dashed pellmell into the stadium to celebrate the victory.
pellucid
transparent; limpid; easy to understand
After reading these stodgy philosophers, I find his pellucid style very enjoyable.
penance
self-imposed punishment for sin
The Ancient Mariner said, "I have penance done and penance more will do," to atone for the sin of killing
the albatross.
pendant
ornament (hanging from a necklace, etc.)
The grateful team presented the coach with a silver chain and pendant engraved with the school's motto.
pendulous
hanging; suspended
The pendulous chandeliers swayed in the breeze as if they were about to fall from the ceiling.
pensive
dreamily thoughtful; thoughtful with a hint of sadness
The pensive youth gazed at the painting for a long time and then sighed.
penumbra
partial shadow (in an eclipse)
During an eclipse, we can see an area of total darkness and a lighter area, which is the penumbra.
penurious
stingy; parsimonious
He was a penurious man, averse to spending money even for the necessities of life.
peon
landless agricultural worker; bond servant
The land reformers sought to liberate the peons and establish them as independent farmers.
perceptive
insightful; aware; wise
Although Maud was a generally perceptive critic, she had her blind sports: she could never see flaws in the
work of her friends.
perdition
damnation; complete ruin
Praying for salvation, young Daedalus feared he was damned to eternal perdition.
peregrination
journey
Auntie Mame was a world traveler whose peregrinations took her from Tiajuana to Timbuctoo.
peremptory
demanding and leaving no choice
From Jack's peremptory knock on the door, Jill could tell he would not give up until she let him in.
perforate
pierce; put a hole through
Before you can open the aspirin bottle, you must first perforate the plastic safety seal that covers the cap.
perfunctory
superficial; not thorough; lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm
The auditor's perfunctory inspection of the books overlooked many errors.
perifidious
treacherous; disloyal
When Caesar realized that Brutus had betrayed him, he reproached his perfidious friend.
perigee
point of moon's orbit when it is nearest the earth
The rocket which was designed to take photographs of the moon was launched as the moon approached
its perigee.
perimeter
outer boundary
To find the perimeter of any quadrilateral, we add the lengths of the four sides.
peripatetic
walking about; moving
The peripatetic school of philosophy derives its name from the fact that Aristotle walked with his pupils
while discussing philosophy with them.
peripheral
marginal; outer
We lived, not in central London, but in one of those peripheral suburbs that spring up on the outskirts of
the great city.
periphery
edge, especially of a round surface
He sensed that there was something just beyond the periphery of his vision.
perjury
false testimony while under oath
When several witnesses appeared to challenge his story, he was indicted for perjury.
pernicious
very destructive, harmful
He argued that these books had a pernicious effect on young and susceptible minds.
peroration
conclusion of an oration
The peroration was largely hortatory and brought the audience to its feet clamoring for action at its close.
perquisite
any gain above stipulated salary
The perquisites attached to this job make it even more attractive than the salary indicates.
personable
attractive
The man I am seeking to fill this position must be personable since he will be representing us before the
public.
perspicacious
having insight; penetrating; astute
The brillant lawyer was known for his perspicacious deductions.
perspicuity
clearness of expression; freedom from ambiguity
One of the outstanding features of this book is the perspicuity of its author; her meaning is always clear.
perspicuous
plainly expressed
Her perspicuous comments eliminated all posibility of misinterpretation.
pertinacious
stubborn; persistent
He is bound to succeed because his pertinacious nature will not permit him to quit.
perusal
reading
I am certain that you have missed important details in your rapid perusal of this document.
pervasive
spread throughout
Despite airing them for several hours, she could not rid her clothes of the pervasive odor of mothbals that
clung to them.
perverse
stubbornly wrongheaded; wicked and unacceptable
When Hannibal Lecter was in a perverse mood, he ate the flesh of his victims.
perversion
corruption; turning from right to wrong
Inasmuch as he had no motive for his crimes, we could not understand his perversion.
pessimism
belief that life is basically bad or evil; gloominess
The good news we have been receiving lately indicates that there is little reason for your pessimism.
pestle
tool for mashing or grinding substances in a hard bowl
From the way in which the elderly pharmacist pounded the drug with his pestle, young George could tell
that his employer was agitated about something.
petty
trivial; unimportant; very small
She had no major complaints to make about his work, only a few petty quibbles that were almost too
minor to state.
pharisaical
pertaining to Pharisees, who paid scrupulous attention to tradition; self-righteous;
hypocritical
Walter Lippmann has pointed out that moralists who do not attempt to explain the moral code they
advocate are often regarded as pharisaical and ignored.
phenomena
observable facts; subjects of scientific investigation
We kept careful records of the phenomena we noted in the course of these experiments.
philanderer
faithless lover; flirt
Swearing he had never so much as looked at another woman, Jack assured Jill he was no philanderer.
philanthropist
lover of mankind; doer of good
As he grew older, he became famous as a philanthropist and benefactor of the needy.
philatelist
stamp-collector
When she heard the value of the Penny Black stamp, Phyllis was inspired to become a philatelist.
philistine
narrow-minded person, uncultured and exculsively interested in material gain
We need more men of culture and enlightenment; we have too many philistines among us.
philology
study of language
The professor of philology advocated the use of Esperanto as an international language.
phlegmatic
calm; not easily disturbed
The nurse was a cheerful but phlegmatic person, unexcited in the face of sudden emergencies.
physiognomy
face
He prided himself on his ability to analyze a person's character by studying his physiognomy.
physiological
pertaining to the science of the function of living organisms
To understand this disease fully, we must examine not only its physiological aspects but also its
psychological elements.
piebald
of different colors; motled; spotted
You should be able to identify Polka Dot in this race; he is the only piebald horse running.
pied
variegated; multicolored
The pied piper of Hamelin got his name from the multicolored clothing he wore.
piety
devoutness; reverence for God
Living her life in prayer and good works, Mother Teresa exemplifies the true sprit of piety.
pillory
punish by placing in a wooden frame; subject to criticism and ridicule
Even though he was mocked and pilloried, he maintained that he was correct in his beliefs.
pine
languish, decline; long for, yearn
Though she tried to be happy living with Clara in the city, Heidi pined for the mountains and for her gruff
but loving grandfather.
pinion
restrain
They pinioned his arms against his body but left his legs free so that he could move about.
pinnacle
peak
We could see the morning sunlight illuminate the pinnacle while the rest of the mountain lay in shadow.
pique
irritation; resentment
She showed her pique by her refusal to appear with the other contestants at the end of the contest.
piscatorial
pertaining to fishing
He spent many happy hours at the lake in his piscatorial activities.
pittance
a small allowance or wage
He could not live on the pittance he received as a pension and had to look for an additional source of
revenue.
pivotal
central; critical
De Klerk's decision to set Nelson Mandela free was pivotal; without Mandela's release, there was no
possibility that the African National Cogress would entertain talks with the South African government.
placebo
harmless substance prescribed as a dummy pill
In a controlled experiment, fifty volunteers were given erythromycin tablets; the control group received
only placebos.
plagiarize
steal another's ideas and pass them off as one's own The editor could tell that the writer had plagiarized parts of the article; he could recognize whole
paragraphs from the original source.
plasticity
ability to be molded
When clay dries out, it loses its plasticity and becomes less malleable.
platitude
trite remark; commonplace statement
The platitudes in his speech were applauded by the vast majority in his audience; only a few people
perceived how trite his remarks were.
platonic
purely spiritual; theoretical; without sensual desire
Accused of impropriety in his dealings with female students, the professor maintained he had only a
platonic interest in the women involved.
plauditory
approving; applauding
The theatrical company reprinted the plauditory comments of the critics in its advertisement.
plausible
having a show of truth but open to doubt; specious
Even though your argument is plausible, I still would like to have more proof.
plebeian
common; pertaining to the common people
His speeches were aimed at the plebeian minds and emotions; they disgusted the more refined.
plenary
complete; full
The union leader was given plenary power to negotiate a new contract with the employers.
plenitude
abundance; completeness
Looking in the pantry, we admired the plenitude of fruits and pickles we had preserved during the summer.
pliable
flexible; yielding; adaptable
In remodeling the bathroom, we replaced all the old, rigid lead pipes with new, pliable copper tubing.
pliant
flexible; easily influenced
Catherine's disposition was pliant; she was like putty in her suitor's hands.
pluck
courage
Even the adversaries of young Indiana Jones were impressed by the boy's pluck in trying to rescue the
archeological treasure they had stolen.
plumb
vertical
Before hanging wallpaper it is advisable to drop a plumb line from the ceiling as a guide.
plutocracy
society ruled by the wealthy
From the way the government caters to the rich, you might think our society is a plutocracy rather than a
democracy.
podiatrist
doctor who treats ailments of the feet
He consulted a podiatrist about his fallen arches.
podium
pedestal; raised platform
The audience applauded as the conductor made his way to the podium.
poignancy
quality of being deeply moving; keenness of emotion
Watching the tearful reunion of the long-separated mother and child, the social worker was touched by the
poignancy of the scene.
polarize
split into opposite extremes or camps
The abortion issue has polarized the country into pro-choice and anti-abortion camps.
polemic
controversy; argument in support of point of view
Her essays were, for the main part, polemics for the party's policy.
politic
expedient; prudent; well devised
Even though he was disappointed, he did not think it politic to refuse the offer.
polity
form of government of nation or state
Our polity should be devoted to the concept that the government should strive for the good of all citizens.
polygamist
one who has more than one spouse at a time
He was arrested as a polygamist when his two wives filed complaints about him.
polyglot
speaking several languages
New York City is a polyglot community because of the thousands of immigrants who settle there.
pomposity
self-important behavior; acting like a stuffed shirt
Although the commencement speaker had some good things to say, we had to laugh at his pomposity and
general air of parading his own dignity.
pontifical
pertaining to a bishop or pope; pompous or pretentious
From the very beginning of his ministry it was clear from his pontifical pronouncements that John was
destined for a high pontifical office.
pore
study industriously; ponder; scrutinize
Determined to become a physician, Beth spends hours poring over her anatomy text.
porous
full of pores; like a sieve Dancers like to wear porous clothing because it allows the ready passage of water and air.
portend
foretell; presage
The king did not know what these omens might portend and asked his soothsayers to interpret them.
portly
stout; corpulent
The salesclerk tactfully referred to the overweight customer as portly rather than fat.
poseur
person who pretends to be sophisticated, elegant, etc., to impress others
Some thought Dali was a brillant painter; others dismissed him as a poseur.
posthumous
after death (as of child born after father's death or book published after author's death)
The critics ignored his works during his lifetime; it was only after the posthumous publication of his last
novel that they recognized his great talent.
postulate
self-evident truth
We must accept these statements as postulates before pursuing our discussions any further.
posture
assume an affected pose; act artificially
No matter how much Arnold boasted or postured, I could not believe he was as important as he pretended
to be.
potable
suitable for drinking
The recent drought in the Middle Atlantic States has emphasized the need for extensive research in ways of
making sea water potable.
potentate
monarch; sovereign
The potentate spent more time at Monte Carlo than he did at home on his throne.
potent
powerful; persuasive; greatly influential
The jury was swayed by the highly potent testimony of the crime's sole eyewitness.
poultice
soothing application applied to sore and inflamed portions of the body
He was advised to apply a flaxseed poultice to the inflammation.
practicable
feasible
The board of directors decided that the plan was practicable and agreed to undertake the project.
pragmatic
practical (as opposed to idealistic); concerned with the practical worth or impact of
something
This coming trip to France should provide me with a pragmatic test of the value of my conversational
French class.
prate
speak foolishly; boast idly
Let us not prate about our qualities; rather, let our virtues speak for themselves.
preamble
introductory statement
In the preamble to the Constitution, the purpose of the document is set forth.
precarious
uncertain; risky
I think this stock is a precarious investment and advise against its purchase.
precedent
preceding in time, rank, etc.
Our discussions, precedent to this event, certainly did not give you any reason to believe that we would
adopt your proposal.
precedent
something preceding in time that may be used as an authority or guide for future action
This decision sets a precedent for future cases of a similar nature.
precipice
cliff; dangerous position
Suddenly Indiana Jones found himself dangling from the edge of a precipice.
precipitate
throw headlong; hasten
The removal of American political support appeared to have precipitated the downfall of the Marcos
regime.
precipitous
steep; overhasty
This hill is difficult to climb because it is so precipitous; one slip, and our descent will be precipitous as well.
preclude
make impossible; eliminate
This contract does not preclude my being employed by others at the same time that I am working for you.
precocious
advanced in development
By her rather adult manner of discussing serious topics, the child demonstrated that she was precocious.
precursor
forerunner
Though Gray and Burns share many traits with the Romantic poets who followed them, most critics
consider them precursors of the Romantic Movement, not true Romantics.
predecessor
former occupant of a post
I hope I can live up to the fine example set by my late predecessor in this office.
predilection
partiality; preference
Although the artist used various media from time to time, she had a predilection for watercolors.
preeminent
outstanding; superior
The king traveled to Boston because he wanted the preeminent surgeon in the field to perform the
operation.
preempt
head off; forestall by acting first; appropriate for oneself; supplant
Hoping to preempt any attempts by the opposition to make educational reform a hot political issue, the
candidate set out her own plan to revitalize the public schools.
preen
make oneself tidy in appearance; feel self-satisfaction
As Kitty preened before the mirror, carefully smoothing her shining hair, she couldn't help preening herself
on her good looks.
prefactory
introductory
The chairman made a few prefactory remarks before he called on the first speaker.
prehensile
capable of grasping or holding
Monkeys use not only their arms and legs but also their prehensile tails in traveling through the trees.
prelate
church dignitary
The archbishop of Moscow and other high-ranking prelates visited the Russian Orthodox seminary.
prelude
introduction; forerunner
I am afraid that this border raid is the prelude to more serious attacks.
premeditate
plan in advance She had premeditated the murder for months, reading about common poisons and buying weed killer that
contained arsenic.
premise
assumption; postulate
Because Jack had based his argument upon a faulty premise, his opponent cheerfully pointed out the holes
in his logic.
premonition
forewarning
We ignored these premonitions of disaster because they appeared to be based on childish fears.
premonitory
serving to warn
You should have visited a doctor as soon as you felt these premonitory chest pains.
preponderance
superiority of power, quantity, etc.
The rebels sought to overcome the preponderance of strength of the government forces by engaging in
guerrilla tactics.
preposterous
absurd; ridiculous
When the candidate tried to downplay his youthful experiments with marijuana by saying he hadn't inhaled,
we all thought, "What a preposterous excuse!"
prerogative
privilege; unquestionable right
The President cannot levy taxes; that is the prerogative of the legislative branch of government.
prescience
ability to foretell the future
Given the current wave of Japan-bashing, it does not take prescience for me to foresee problems in our
future trade relations with Japan.
prestige
impression produced by achievements or reputation
The wealthy man sought to obtain social prestige by contributing to popular charities.
presumptous
arrogant; taking liberties
It seems presumptous for one so relatively new to the field to challenge the conclusions of its leading
experts.
pretentious
ostentatious; ambitious
I do not feel that your limited resources will permit you to carry out such a pretentious program.
preternatural
beyond that which is normal in nature
John's mother's total ability to tell when he was lying struck him as almost preternatural.
prevalent
widespread; generally accepted
A radical committed to social change, Reed had no patience with the conservative views prevalent in the
America of his day.
prevaricate
lie
Some people believe that to prevaricate in a good cause is justifiable and regard the statement as a "white
lie."
prey
target of a hunt; victim
In Stalking the Wild Asparagus, Euell Gibbons has as his prey not wild beasts but wild plants.
primogeniture
seniority by birth
By virtue of primogeniture, in some cultures the first-born child has many privileges denied his brothers
and sisters.
primordial
existing at the beginning (of time); rudimentary
The Neanderthal Man is one of our primordial ancestors.
prim
very precise and formal; exceedingly proper
Many people commented on the contrast between the prim attire of the young lady and the inappropriate
clothing worn by her escort.
pristine
characteristic of earlier times; primitive, unspoiled
This area has been preserved in all its pristine wildness.
probity
uprightness; incorruptibility
Everyone took his probity for granted; his defalcations, therefore, shocked us all.
problematic
perplexing; unsettled: questionable
Given the many areas of conflict still awaiting resolution, the outcome of the peace talks remains
problematic.
procrastinate
postpone; delay
It is wise not to procrastinate; otherwise, we find ourselves bogged down in a mass of work that should
have been finished long ago.
prodigious
enormous; marvelous
He marveled at her prodigious appetite when he saw all the food she ate.
prodigy
highly gifted child; marvel
Menuhin was a prodigy, performing wonders on his violin when he was barely eight years old.
profane
violate; desecrate
Tourists are urged not to profane the sanctity of holy places by wearing improper garb.
profilgate
dissipated; wasteful; licentious
In this profilgate company, she lost all sense of decency.
profound
deep; not superficial; complete
Freud's remarkable insights into human behavior caused his fellow scientists to honor him as a profound
thinker.
profusion
lavish expenditure; overabundant condition
Seldom have I seen food and drink served in such profusion as at the wedding feast.
progenitor
ancestor
The Roth family, whose progenitors emigrated from Germany early in the nineteenth century, settled in
Peru, Illinois.
progeny
children; offspring
He was proud of his progeny but regarded George as the most promising of all his children.
prognosis
forecasted course of a disease; prediction
If the doctor's prognosis is correct, the patient will be in a coma for at least twenty-four hours.
projectile
missile
Man has always hurled projectiles at his enemy whether in the form of stones or of highly explosive shells.
proletarian
member of the working class
The aristocrats feared mob rule and gave the right to vote only to the wealthy, thus depending the
proletarians of a voice in government.
proliferate
grow rapidly; spread; multiply
Times of economic hardship inevitably encourage countless get-rich-quick schemes to proliferate
prolong
extend; draw out; lengthen
In their determination to discover ways to prolong human life, doctors fail to take into account that longer
lives are not always happier ones.
prominent
conspicuous; notable; protruding
Have you ever noticed that Prince Charles's prominent ears make him resemble the big-eared character in
Mad comics?
promiscuous
mixed indiscriminately; haphazard; irregular, particularly sexually
In the opera La Boheme, we get a picture of the promiscuous life led by the young artists of Paris.
promontory
headland
They erected a lighthouse on the promontory to warn approaching ships of their nearness to the shore.
prompt
cause; provoke; provide a cue for an actor
Whatever prompted you to ask for such a big piece of cake when you're on a diet?
promulgate
make known by official proclamation or publication
As soon as the Civil Service Commission promulgates the names of the successful candidates, we shall
begin to hire members of our staff.
propagate
multiply; spread
Since bacteria propagate more quickly in unsanitary environments, it is important to keep hospital rooms
clean.
propellant
substance that propels or drives forward
The development of our missile program has forced our scientists to seek more powerful propellants.
propensity
natural inclination
Convinced of his own talent, Sol has an unfortunate propensity to belittle the talents of others.
prophetic
having to do with predicting the future In interpreting Pharaoh's prophetic dream, Joseph said that the seven fat cows eaten by the seven lean
cows represented seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine.
prophylactic
used to prevent disease
Despite all prophylactic measures introduced by the authorities, the epidemic raged until cool weather set
in.
propinquity
nearness; kinship
Their relationship could not be explained as being based on mere propinquity: they were more than
relatives; they were true friends.
propitious
favorable; kindly
I think it is advisable that we wait for a more propitious occasion to announce our plans; this is not a good
time.
proponent
person who supports or proposes (an idea)
After the bill had been amended and re-amended in committee, even its original proponents didn't want to
vote in its favor.
propound
put forth for analysis
In you discussion, you have propounded several questions; let us consider each one separately.
propriety
fitness; correct conduct
I want you to behave at this dinner with propriety; don't embarass me.
propulsive
driving forward
The jet plane has a greater propulsive power than the engine-driven plane.
prosaic
dull and unimaginative; matter-of-fact; factual
Though the ad writers had come up with a highly creative campaign to publicize the company's newest
product, the head office rejected it for a more prosaic, down-to-earth approach.
proscenium
part of stage in front of curtain
In the theater-in-the-round there can be no proscenium or proscenium arch.
proscribe
ostracize; banish; outlaw
Antony, Octavius and Lepidus proscribed all those who had conspired against Julius Caesar.
proselytize
induce someone to convert to religion or belief
In these interfaith meetings, there must be no attempt to proselytize; we must respect all points of view.
prosody
the art of versification
This book on prosody contains a rhyming dictionary as well as samples of the various verse forms.
prosperity
good fortune; financial success; physical well-being
Promising to stay together "for richer, for poorer," the newlyweds vowed to be true to one another in prosperity and hardship alike.
protean
versatile; able to take on many forms
A remarkably protean actor, Alec Guinness could take on any role.
protocol
diplomatic etiquette
We must run this state dinner according to protocol if we are to avoid offending any of our guests.
prototype
original work used as a model by others
The crude typewriter on display in this museum is the prototype of the elaborate machines in use today.
protract
prolong
Seeking to delay the union members' vote, the management team tried to protract the negotiations
endlessly, but the union representatives saw through their strategy.
protuberance
protrusion; bulge
A ganglionic cyst is a fluid-filled tumor (generally benign) that develops near a joint membrane or tendon
sheath, and that bulges beneath the skin, forming a protuberance.
provenance
origin or source of something
I am not interested in its provenance; I am more concerned with its usefulness than with its source.
provender
dry food; fodder
I am afraid of a severe winter because I have stored a large quantity of provender for the cattle.
provident
displaying foresight; thrifty; preparing for emergencies
In his usual provident manner, he had insured himself against this type of loss.
provincial
pertaining to a province; limited in outlook; unsophisticated
As provincial governor, Sir Henry administered the Queen's law in his remote corner of Canada.
provisional
tentative
The appointment is provisional; only on the approval of the board of directors will it be made permanent.
proviso
stipulation
I am ready to accept your proposal with the two proviso that you meet your obligations within the next
two weeks.
provoke
stir up anger; cause retaliation
In order to prevent a sudden outbreak of hostilities, we must not provoke our foe.
prune
cut away; trim
With the help of her editor, she was able to prune her manuscript into publishable form.
psychiatrist
a doctor who treats mental diseases
A psychiatrist often needs long conferences with his patient before a diagnosis can be made.
psychopathic
pertaining to mental derangement
The psychopathic patient suffers more frequently from a disorder of the nervous system than from a
diseased brain.
psychosis
mental disorder
We must endeavor to find an outlet for the patient's repressed desires if we hope to combat this psychosis.
pterodactyl
extinct flying reptile
The remains of pterodactyls indicate that these flying reptiles had a wingspan of as much as twenty feet.
pulchritude
beauty; comeliness
I do not envy the judges who have to select this year's Miss America from this collection of female
pulchritude.
pulmonary
pertaining to the lungs
In his researches on pulmonary diseases, he discovered many facts about the lungs of animals and human
beings.
pulverize
crush or grind into very small particles
Before sprinkling the dried herbs into the stew, Michael first pulverized them into a fine powder.
pummel
beat
The severity with which he was pummeled was indicated by the bruises he displayed on his head and face.
punctilious
laying stress on niceties of conduct or form; precise
We must be punctilious in our planning of this affair, for any error may be regarded as a personal affront.
pundit
learned Hindu; any learned person; authority on a subject
Even though he discourses on the matter like a pundit, he is actually rather ignorant about this topic.
purchase
firm grasp or footing
The mountaineer struggled to get a proper purchase on the slippery rock.
purgatory
place of spiritual expiation
In this purgatory, he could expect no help from his comrades.
purge
clean by removing impurities; clear of changes
If you are to be purged of the charge of contempt of Congress, you must be willing to answer the
questions previously asked.
purport
intention; meaning
If the purport of your speech was to arouse the rabble, you succeeded admirably.
purveyor
furnisher of foodstuffs; caterer
As purveyor of rare wines and viands, he traveled through France and Italy every year in search of new
products to sell.
pusillanimous
cowardly; fainthearted
You should be ashamed of your pusillanimous conduct during this dispute.
putative
supposed; reputed
Although there are some doubts, the putative author of this work is Massinger.
putrid
foul; rotten; decayed
The gangrenous condition of the wound was indicated by the putrid smell when the bandages were removed.
pyre
heap of combustible material, esp. for burning a corpse.
The mortician put pyre on the corpse before burning a corpse.
pyromaniac
person with an insane desire to set things on fire
The detectives searched the area for the pyromaniac who had set these costly fires.
quack
charlatan; impostor
Do not be misled by the exorbitant claims of this quack; he cannot cure you.
quaff
drink with relish
As we quaffed our ale, we listened to the gay songs of the students in the tavern.
quagmire
soft, wet, boggy land; complex or dangerous situation from which it is difficult to free oneself
Up to her knees in mud, Myra wondered how on earth she was going to extricate herself from this
quagmire.
quaint
odd; old-fashioned; picturesque
Her quaint clothes and old-fashioned language marked her as an eccentric.
qualified
limited; restricted
Unable to give the candidate full support, the mayor gave him only a qualified endorsement.
qualms
misgivings
His qualms of conscience had become so great that he decided to abandon his plans.
quandary
dilemma
When the two colleges to which he had applied accepted him, he was in a quandary as to which one he
should attend.
quarantine
isolation of a person, place, or ship to prevent spread of infection We will have to place this house under quarantine until we determine the nature of the disease.
quash
subdue; crush; squash
The authorities acted quickly to quash the student rebellion, sending in tanks to cow the demonstrators.
queasy
easily nauseated; squeamish
As the ship left the harbor, he became queasy and thought that he was going to suffer from seasickness.
querulous
fretful; whining
His classmates were repelled by his querulous and complaining statements.
quiescent
at rest; dormant
After this geyser erupts, it will remain quiescent for twenty-four hours.
quirk
startling twise; caprice
By a quirk of fate, he found himself working for the man whom he had discharged years before.
quisling
traitor who aids invaders
In his conquest of Europe, Hitler was aided by the quislings who betrayed their own people and served in the puppet governments established by the Nazis.
quixotic
idealistic but impractical
His head is in the clouds; he is constantly presenting these quixotic schemes.
quizzical
bantering; comical; humorously serious
Will Rogers' quizzical remarks endeared him to his audiences.
quorum
number of members necessary to conduct a meeting
The senator asked for a roll call to determine whether a quorum was present.
quotidian
daily; commonplace; customary
To Philip, each new day of his internship was filled with excitement; he could not dismiss his rounds as
merely quotidian routine.
rabid
like a fanatic; furious
He was a rabid follower of the Dodgers and watched them play whenever he could go to the ball park.
ragamuffin
person wearing tattered clothes
He felt sorry for the ragamuffin who was begging for food and gave him money to buy a meal.
ramble
wander aimlessly (physically or mentally)
Listening to the teacher ramble, Judy wondered whether he'd ever get to his point.
ramify
divide into branches or subdivisions
When the plant begins to ramify, it is advisable to nip off most of the new branches.
rampant
rearing up on hind legs; unrestrained
The rampant weeds in the garden killed all the flowers that had been planted in the spring.
ramp
slope; inclined plane
The house was built with ramps instead of stairs in order to enable the man in the wheelchair to move easily from room to room and floor to floor.
ramshackle
rickety; falling apart
The boys propped up the ramshackle clubhouse with a couple of boards.
random
without definite purpose, plan, or aim; haphazard
Although the sponsor of the raffle claimed all winners were chosen at random, people had their suspicions
when the grand prize went to the sponsor's brother-in-law.
rant
rave; speak bombastically
As we heard him rant on the platform, we could not understand his strange popularity with many people.
rapacious
excessively grasping; plundering
Hawks and other rapacious birds prey on variety of small animals.
rapport
emotional closeness; harmony
In team teaching, it is important that all teachers in the group have good rapport with one another.
rarefied
made less dense [of a gas]
The mountain climbers had difficulty breathing in the rarefied atmosphere.
ratify
approve formally; verify
Before the treaty could go into effect, it had to be ratified by the president.
ratiocination
reasoning; act of drawing conclusions from premises
While Watson was a man of average intelligence, Holmes was a genius, whose gift for ratiocination made
him a superb detective.
rationalization
bringing into conformity with reason
All attempts at rationalization at this time are doomed to failure; tempers and emotions run too high for
intelligent thought to prevail.
rationalize
reason; justify an improper act
Do not try to rationalize your behavior by blaming your companions.
ravel
fall apart into tangles; unravel or untwist; entangle
A sigle thread pulled loose, and the entire scarf started to ravel.
rave
overwhelmingly favorable review
Though critic John Simon seldom has a good word to say about contemporary plays, his review of All in
the Timing was a total rave.
ravine
narrow valley with steep sides
Steeper than a gully, less precipitous than a canyon, a ravine is, like them, the product of years of erosion.
raze
destroy completely
The owners intend to raze the hotel and erect an office building on the site.
reactionary
recoiling from progress; retrograde
His program was reactionary since it sought to abolish many of the social reforms instituted by the
previous administration.
reaper
one who harvests grain
Death, the Grim Reaper, cuts down men and women, just as a farmer cuts down the ripened grain.
rebuff
snub; beat back
She rebuffed his invitation so smoothly that he did not realize he had been snubbed.
rebus
puzzle in which pictures stand for words
A coven of witches beside a tree is a possible rebus for the town Coventry.
rebuttal
refutation; response with contrary evidence
The defense lawyer confidently listened to the prosecutor sum up his case, sure that she could answer his
arguments in her rebuttal.
recant
repudiate; withdraw previous statement
Unless you recant your confession, you will be punished severely.
receptive
quick or willing to receive ideas, suggestions, etc.
Adventure-loving Huck Finn proved a receptive audience for Tom's tales of buried treasure and piracy.
recession
withdrawal; retreat; time of low economic activity
The slow recession of the flood waters created problems for the crews working to restore power to the
area.
recidivism
habitual return to crime
Prison reformers in the United States are disturbed by the high rate of recidivism; the number of persons
serving second and third terms indicates the failure of the prisons to rehabilitate the inmates.
recipient
receiver
Although he had been the recipient of many favors, he was not grateful to his benefactor.
reciprocate
repay in kind
If they attack us, we shall be compelled to reciprocate and bomb their territory.
reconcile
correct inconsistencies; become friendly after a quarrel
Every time we try to reconcile our checkbook with the bank statement, we quarrel. However, despite these
monthly lovers' quarrels, we always manage to reconcile.
recondite
abstruse; profound; secret
He read many recondite books in order to obtain the material for the scholarly thesis.
reconnaissance
survey of enemy by soldiers; reconnoitering
If you encounter any enemy soldiers during your reconnaissance, capture them for questioning.
recount
narrate or tell; count over again
About to recount the latest adventure of Sherlock Holmes, Watson lost track of exactly how many cases
Holmes had solved and refused to begin his tale until he'd recounted them one by one.
recourse
resorting to help when in trouble
The boy's only recourse was to appeal to his father for aid.
recumbent
reclining; lying down completely or in part
The command "AT EASE" does not permit you to take a recumbent position.
recuperate
recover
The doctors were worried because the patient did not recuperate as rapidly as they had expected.
recurrent
occurring again and again
These recurrent attacks disturbed us and we consulted a physician.
redolent
fragrant; odorous; suggestive of an odor
Even though it is February, the air is redolent of spring.
redoubtable
formidable; causing fear
During the Cold War period, neighboring countries tried not to offend the Russians because they could be
redoubtable foes.
redundant
superfluous; excessively wordy; repetitious
Your composition is redundant; you can easily reduce its length.
refraction
bending of a ray of light
When you look at a stick inserted in water, it looks bent because of the refraction of the light by the water.
refractory
stubborn; unmanageable
The refractory horse was eliminated from the race when he refused to obey the jockey.
refrain
v. abstain from; resist n. chorus
Whenever he heard a song with a lively chorus, Sol could never refrain from joining in on the refrain.
refurbish
renovate; make bright by polishing
The flood left a deposit of mud on everything; it was necessary to refurbish our belongings.
refute
disprove
The defense called several respectable witnesses who were able to refute the false testimony of the
prosecution's only witness.
regimen
prescribed diet and habits
I doubt whether the results warrant our living under such a strict regimen.
regime
method or system of government
When a Frenchman mentions the Old Regime, he refers to the government existing before the revolution.
rejoinder
retort; comeback; reply
When someone has been rude to me, I find it particularly satisfying to come up with a quick rejoinder.
rejuvenate
make young again
The charlatan claimed that his elixir would rejuvenate the aged and weary.
relegate
banish; consign to inferior position
If we relegate these experts to minor posts because of their political persuasions, we shall lose their
valuable services.
relent
give in
When her stern father would not relent and allow her to marry Robert Browning, Elizabeth Barrett eloped
with her suitor.
relevant
pertinent; referring to the case in hand Teri was impressed by how relevant Virginia Woolf's remarks were to her as a woman writer; it was as if
Woolf had been writing with Teri's situation in mind.
relic
surviving remnant; memento
Egypt's Department of Antiquities prohibits tourists from taking mummies and other ancient relics out of
the country.
relinquish
abandon
I will relinquish my claims to this property if you promise to retain my employees.
reminiscence
recollection
Her reminiscences of her experiences are so fascinating that she ought to write a book.
remission
temporary moderation of disease symptoms; cancellation of a debt; forgiveness or pardon
Though Senator Tsongas had been treated for cancer, his symptoms were in remission, and he was
considered fit to handle the strains of a Presidential race.
remnant
remainder
I suggest that you wait until the store places the remnants of these goods on sale.
remonstrance
protest; objection
The authorities were deaf to the pastor's remonstrances about the lack of police protection in the area.
remunerative
compensating; rewarding
I find my new work so renumerative that I may not return to my previous employment.
rendition
translation; artistic interpretation of a song, etc.
The audience cheered enthusiastically as she completed her rendition of the aria.
renegade
deserter; traitor
Because he had abandoned his post and joined forces with the Indians, his fellow officers considered the
hero of Dances with Wolves a renegade.
renounce
abandon; disown; repudiate
Even though she knew she would be burned at the stake as a witch, Joan of Arc refused to renounce her
belief that her voices came from God.
renovate
restore to good condition; renew
They claim that they can renovate worn shoes so that they look like new ones.
renown
fame
For many years an unheralded researcher, Barbara McClintock gained international renown when she won
the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine.
rent
tear or rip; split
The conflict over abortion threatens to split our nation, creating a rent in the social fabric that will be
difficult to mend.
reparable
capable of being repaired
Fortunately, the damages we suffered in the accident were reparable and our car looks brand new.
reparation
amends; compensation
At the peace conference, the defeated country promised to pay reparations to the victors.
repeal
revoke; annul
What would the effect on our society be if we decriminalized drug use by repealing the laws against the
possession and sale of narcotics?
repellent
driving away; unattractive
Mosquitoes find the odor so repellent that they leave any spot where this liquid has been sprayed.
repercussion
rebound; reverberation; reaction
I am afraid that this event will have serious repercussions.
repertoire
list of works of music, drama, etc., a performer is prepared to present
The opera company decided to include Madame Butterfly in its repertoire for the following season.
replenish
fill up again Before she could take another backpacking trip, Carla had to replenish her stock of freeze-dried foods.
replicate
reproduce; duplicate
To the chagrin of the scientists, they were unable to replicate the results of their controversial experiment.
replica
copy
Are you going to hang this replica of the Declaration of Independence in the classroom or in the
auditorium?
repress
restrain; crush; oppress
Anne's parents tried to curb her impetuosity without repressing her boundless high spirits.
reprieve
temporary stay
During the twenty-four-hour reprieve, the lawyers sought to make the stay of execution permanent.
reprimand
reprove severely
I am afraid that my parents will reprimand me when I show them my report card.
reprise
recurrent action; musical repetition; repeat performance
At Waterloo, it was not the effect of any one skirmish that exhausted Colonel Audly; rather it was the
cumulative effect of the constant reprises that left him spent.
reprobate
person hardened in sin, devoid of a sense of decency
I cannot understand why he has so many admirers if he is the reprobate you say he is.
reprobation
severe disapproval
The students showed their reprobation of his act by refusing to talk with him.
reprove
censure; rebuke
The principal reproved the students when they became unruly in the auditorium.
repulsion
act of driving back; distaste
The repulsion of the enemy forces was not accomplished bloodlessly; many of the defenders were
wounded in driving the enemy back.
reputable
respectable
If you want to buy antiques, look for a reputable dealer; far too many dealers today pass off fakes as
genuine antiques.
requisite
necessary requirement
Many colleges state that a student must offer three years of a language as a requisite for admission.
reserve
self-control; formal but distant manner
Although some girls were attracted by Mark's reserve, Judy was put off by it, for she felt his aloofness
indicated a lack of openness.
residue
remainder; balance
In his will, he requested that after payment of debts, taxes, and funeral expenses, the residue be given to his
wife.
resignation
patient submissiveness; statement that one is quitting a job
If Bob Cratchit had not accepted Scrooge's bullying with timid resignation, he might have gotten up the
nerve to hand in his resignation.
resilient
elastic; having the power of springing back
Highly resilient, steel makes excellent bedsprings.
resolve
decide; settle; solve
Homes resolved to travel to Bohemia to resolve the dispute between Irene Adler and the King.
resolve
determination
Nothing could shake his resolve that his children would get the best education that money could buy.
resonant
echoing; resounding; deep and full in sound
The deep, resonant voice of the actor James Earl Jones makes him particulary effective when he appears
on stage.
respiration
breathing; exhalation
The doctor found that the patient's years of smoking had adversely affected both his lung capacity and his
rate of respiration.
respite
delay in punishment; interval of relief; rest
The judge granted the condemned man a respite to enable his attorneys to file an appeal.
responsiveness
state of reacting readily to appeals, order, etc.
The audience cheered and applauded, delighting the performers by its responsiveness.
restitution
reparation; indemnification
He offered to make restitution for the window broken by his son.
restive
restlessly impatient; obstinately resisting control
Waiting impatiently in the line to see Santa Claus, even the best-behaved children grow restive and start to
fidget.
resumption
taking up again; recommencement
During the summer break, Don had not realized how much he missed university life: at the resumption of
classes, however, he felt marked excitement and pleasure.
resurgent
rising again after defeat, etc.
The resurgent nation surprised everyone by its quick recovery after total defeat.
resuscitate
revive
The lifeguard tried to resuscitate the drowned child by applying artificial respiration.
retain
keep; employ
Fighting to retain his seat in Congress, Senator Foghorn retained a new manager to head his reelection
campaign.
retaliate
repay in kind (usually for bad treatment)
Fear that we will retaliate immediately deters our foe from attacking us.
retentive
holding; having a good memory
The pupil did not need to spend much time in study as he had a retentive mind.
reticent
reserved; uncommunicative; inclined to silence Hughes preferred reticent employees to loquacious ones, noting that the formers' dislike of idle chatter
might ensure their discretion about his affairs.
retiring
modest; shy
Given Susan't retiring personality, no one expected her to take up public speaking; surprisingly enough, she
became a star of the school debate team.
retort
quick, sharp reply
Even when it was advisable for her to keep her mouth shut, she was always ready with a retort.
retraction
withdrawal
He dropped his libel suit after the newspaper published a retraction of its statement.
retrench
cut down; economize
If they were to be able to send their children to college, they would have to retrench.
retribution
vengeance; compensation; punishment for offenses
The evangelist maintained that an angry deity would exact retribution from the sinners.
retrieve
recover; find and bring in
The dog was intelligent and quickly learned to retrieve the game killed by the hunter.
retroactive
taking effect before its enactment (as a law) or imposition (as a tax)
Because the new pension law was retroactive to the first of the year, even though Martha had retired in
February she was eligible for the pension.
retrograde
go backwards; degenerate
Instead of advancing, our civilization seems to have retrograded in ethics and culture.
retrospective
looking back on the past
It is only when we become retrospective that we can appreciate the tremendous advances made during this
century.
revile
slander; vilify He was avoided by all who feared that he would revile and abuse them if they displeased him.
revoke
cancel; retract
Repeat offenders who continue to drive under the influence of alcohol face having their driver's licenses
permanently revoked.
revulsion
sudden violent change of feeling; negative reaction
Many people in this country who admired dictatorships underwent a revulsion when they realized what
Hitler and Mussolini were trying to do.
rhapsodize
to speak or write in an exaggeratedly enthusiastic manner
She greatly enjoyed her Hawaiian vacation and rhapsodized about it for weeks.
rhetoric
art of effective communication; insincere or grandiloquent language
All writers, by necessity, must be skilled in rhetoric.
rider
amendment or clause added to a legislative bill
Senator Foghorn said he would support Senator Filibuster's tax reform bill only if Filibuster agreed to add
an antipollution rider to the bill.
rife
abundant; current
In the face of the many rumors of scandal, which are rife at the moment, it is best to remain silent.
rift
opening; break
The plane was lost in the stormy sky until the pilot saw the city through a rift in the clouds.
rigid
stiff and unyielding; strict; hard and unbending
By living with a man to whom she was not married, George Eliot broke Victorian society's most rigid rule
of respectable behavior.
rig
fix or manipulate
The ward boss was able to rig the election by bribing people to stuff the ballot boxes with ballots marked
in his candidate's favor.
riveting
absorbing; engrossing
The reviewer described Byatt's novel Possession as a riveting tale: absorbed in the story, he had finished it
in a single evening.
rivulet
small stream
As the rains continued, the trickle of water running down the hillside grew into a rivulet that threatened to wash away a portion of the slope.
rococo
ornate; highly decorated
The rococo style in furniture and architecture, marked by scrollwork and excessive decoration, flourished
during the middle of the eighteenth century.
roil
to make liquids murky by stirring up sediment; to disturb
Be careful when you pour not to roil the wine; if you stir up the sediment you'll destroy the flavor.
roseate
rosy; optimistic
I am afraid you will have to alter your roseate views in the light of the distressing news that has just arrived.
rostrum
platform for speech-making; pulpit
The crowd murmured angrily and indicated that they did not care to listen to the speaker who was
approaching the rostrum.
rote
repetition
He recited the passage by rote and gave no indication he understood what he was saying.
rotunda
circular building or hall covered with a dome
His body lay in state in the rotunda of the Capitol.
rotundity
roundness; sonorousness of speech
Washington Irving emphasized the rotundity of the governor by describing his height and circumference.
rousing
lively; stirring
"And now, let's have a rousing welcome for TV's own Roseanne Arnold, who'll lead us in a rousing
rendition of 'The Star-Spangled Banner.'"
rubble
fragments
Ten years after World War II, some of the rubble left by enemy bombings could still be seen.
rubric
title or heading (in red print); directions for religious ceremony; protocol
In ordaining the new priests, the bishop carefully observed all the rubrics for the ordination service.
ruddy
reddish; healthy-looking
His ruddy features indicated that he had spent much time in the open.
rueful
regretful; sorrowful; dejected
The artist has captured the sadness of childhood in his portrait of the boy with the rueful countenance.
rummage
ransack; thoroughly search
When we rummaged through the trunks in the attic, we found many souvenirs of our childhood days.
runic
mysterious; set down in an ancient alphabet
Tolkien's use of Old English words and inscriptions in the runic alphabet give The Lord of the Rings its
atmosphere of antiquity.
rusticate
banish to the country; dwell in the country
I like city life so much that I can never understand how people can rusticate in the suburbs.
rustic
pertaining to country people; uncouth
The backwoodsman looked out place in his rustic attire.
saboteur
one who commits sabotage; destroyer of property
Members of the Resistance acted as saboteurs, blowing up train lines to prevent supplies from reaching the
Nazi army.
saccharine
cloyingly sweet
She tried to ingratiate herself, speaking sweetly and smiling a saccharine smile.
sacrosanct
most sacred; inviolable
The brash insurance salesman invaded the sacrosanct privacy of the office of the president of the company.
sadistic
inclined to cruelty
If we are to improve conditions in this prison, we must first get rid of the sadistic warden.
saga
Scandinavian myth; any legend
This is a saga of the sea and the men who risk their lives on it.
sage
person celebrated for wisdom
Hearing tales of a mysterious Master of All Knowledge who lived in the hills of Tibet, Sandy was possessed
with a burning desire to consult the legendary sage.
salacious
lascivious; lustful
Chaucer's monk is not pious but salacious, a teller of lewd tales and ribald jests.
sallow
yellowish; sickly in color
We were disturbed by his sallow complexion, which was due to jaundice.
salubrious
healthful
Many people with hay fever move to more salubrious sections of the country during the months of August
and September.
salutary
tending to improve; beneficial; wholesome
The punishment had a salutary effect on the boy, as he became a model student.
sanctimonious
displaying ostentatious or hypocritical devoutness
You do not have to be so sanctimonious to prove that you are devout.
sanction
approve; ratify
Nothing will convince me to sanction the engagement of my daughter to such a worthless young man.
sap
diminish; undermine
The element kryptonite had an unhealthy effect on Superman: it sapped his strength.
sarcasm
scornful remarks, stinging rebuke
His feelings were hurt by the sarcasm of his supposed friends.
sardonic
disdainful; sarcastic; cynical
The sardonic humor of nightclub comedians who satirize or ridicule patrons in the audience strikes some
people as amusing and others as rude.
sartorial
pertaining to tailors
He was as famous for the sartorial splendor of his attire as he was for his acting.
satellite
small body revolving around a larger one
During the first few years of the Space Age, hundreds of satellites were launched by Russia and the United
States.
satiate
surfeit; satisfy fully
The guests, having eaten until they were satiated, now listened inattentively to the speakers.
satire
form of literature in which irony, sarcasm, and ridicule are employed to attack vice and folly
Gulliver's Travels, which is regarded by many as a tale for children, is actually a bitter satire attacking
human folly.
satirical
mocking
The humor of cartoonists Gary Trudeau often is satirical; though the comments of the Doonesbury
characters, Trudeau ridicules political corruption and folly.
satyr
half-human, half-bestial being in the court of Dionysus, portrayed as wanton and cunning
He was like a satyr in his lustful conduct.
saunter
stroll slowly
As we sauntered through the park, we stopped frequently to admire the spring flowers.
savory
tasty; pleasing, attractive, or agreeable
Julia Child's recipes enable amateur chefs to create savory delicacies for their guests.
savor
enjoy; have a distinctive flavor, smell, or quality
Relishing his triumph, Costner especially savored the chagrin of the critics who had predicted his failure.
scabbard
case for a sword blade; sheath
The drill master told the recruit to wipe the blood from his sword before slipping it back into the scabbard.
scad
a great quantity
Refusing Dave's offer to lend him a shirt, Phil replied, "No, thanks: I've got scads of clothes."
scaffold
temporary platform for workers; bracing framework; platform for execution
Before painting the house, the workers put up a scaffold to allow them to work on the second story.
scale
climb up; ascend
To locate a book on the top shelf of the stacks, Lee had to scale an exceptionally rickety ladder.
scapegoat
someone who bears the blame for others
After the Challenger disaster, NASA searched for scapegoats on whom they could cast the blame.
scavenge
hunt through discarded materials for usable items; search, especially for food
If you need car parts that the dealers no longer stock, try scavenging for odd bits and pieces at the auto
wreckers' yards.
scenario
plot outline; screenplay; opera libretto
Scaramouche startled the other actors in the commedia troupe when he suddenly departed from their
customary scenario and began to improvise.
schematic
relating to an outline or diagram; using a system of symbols
In working out the solution to an analytical logic question, you may find it helpful to construct a simple
schematic diagram illustrating the relationships between the items of information given in the question.
scintillate
sparkle; flash
I enjoy her dinner parties because the food is excellent and the conversation scintillates.
scotch
stamp out; thwart; hinder
Heather tried to scotch the rumor that she had stolen her best friend's fiance.
scruple
fret about; hesitate, for ethical reasons
Fearing that her husband had become involved in an affair, she did not scruple to read his diary.
scrupulous
conscientious; extremely thorough
I can recommend him for a position of responsibility for I have found him a very scrupulous young man.
scrutinize
examine closely and critically
Searching for flaws, the sergeant scrutinized every detail of the private's uniform.
scuffle
struggle confusedly; move off in a confused hurry.
The twins briefly scuffled, wrestling to see which of them would get the toy. When their big brother yelled,
"Let go of my Gameboy!" they scuffled off down the hall.
scurrilous
obscene; indecent
Your scurrilous remarks are especially offensive because they are untrue.
seamy
sordid; unwholesome
In the Godfather, Michael Corleone is unwilling to expose his wife and children to the seamy side of his
life as the son of a Mafia don.
seasoned
experienced
Though pleased with her new batch of rookies, the basketball coach wished she had a few more seasoned
players on the team.
secession
withdrawal
The secession of the Southern states provided Lincoln with his first major problem after his inauguration.
secrete
hide away or cache; produce and release a substance into an organism.
The pack rat secretes odds and ends in its nest; the pancreas secretes insulin in the islets of Langerhans.
sectarian
narrow-minded; limited in scope
As university chaplain, she sought to address universal religious issues and not limit herself to mere sectarian concerns.
secular
worldly; not pertaining to church matters; temporal
The church leaders decided not interfere in secular matters.
sedate
composed; grave
The parents were worried because they felt their son was too quiet and sedate.
sedative
calming drug or influence
It is dangerous to drive after taking the sedative; it brings drowsiness.
sedentary
requiring sitting
Because he had a sedentary occupation, he decided to visit a gymnasium weekly.
sedition
resistance to authority; insubordination
His words, though not treasonous in themselves, were calculated to arouse thoughts of sedition.
sedulous
diligent
The young woman was so sedulous that she received a commendation for her hard work.
seedy
run-down; decrepit; disreputable
I would rather stay in dormitory lodgings in a decent youth hostel than have a room of my own in a seedy
downtown hotel.
seemly
proper; appropriate
Lady Bracknell did not think it was seemly for Ernest to lack a proper family; no baby abandoned on a
doorstep could grow up to marry her daughter.
seep
ooze; trickle
During the rainstorm, water seeped through the crack in the basement wall and damaged the floor boards.
seethe
be disturbed; boil
The nation was seething with discontent as the nobleman continued their arrogant ways.
seine
net for catching fish
When the shad run during the spring, you may see fishermen with seines along the banks of our coastal
rivers.
semblance
outward appearance; guise
Although this book has a semblance of wisdom and scholarship, a careful examination will reveal many
errors and omissions.
seminal
germinal; influencing future developments; related to seed or semen
Although Freud has generally been regarded as a seminal thinker who shaped the course of psychology, his
psychoanalytic methods have come under attack recently.
seminary
school for training future ministers; secondary school, especially for young women
Sure of his priestly vocation, Terrence planned to pursue his theological training at the local Roman
Catholic seminary.
senility
old age; feeble mindedness of old age
Most of the decisions are being made by the junior members of the company because of the senility of the
president.
sensual
devoted to the pleasures of the senses; carnal; voluptous
I cannot understand what caused him to drop his sensual way of life and become so ascetic.
sensuous
pertaining to the physical senses; operating through the senses
He was stimulated by the sights, sounds and smells about him; he was enjoying his sensuous experience.
sententious
terse; concise; aphoristic
After reading so many redundant speeches, I find his sententious style particulary pleasing.
sentinel
sentry; lookout
Though camped in enemy territory, Bledsoe ignored the elementary precaution of posting sentinels around
the encampment.
septic
putrid; producing putrefaction
The hospital was in such a filthy state that we were afraid that many of the patients would suffer from
septic poisoning.
sequester
retire from public life; segregate; seclude
Although he had hoped for a long time to sequester himself in a small community, he never was able to
drop his busy round of activities in the city.
serendipity
gift for finding valuable or desirable things by accident; accidental good fortune or luck
Many scientific discoveries are a matter of serendipity: Newton was not sitting there thinking about gravity
when the apple dropped on his head.
serenity
calmness; placidity
The serenity of the sleepy town was shattered by a tremendous explosion.
servile
slavish; cringing
Constantly fawning on his employer, humble Uriah Heap was a servile creature.
servitude
slavery; compulsory labor Born a slave, Douglass resented his wife of servitude and plotted to escape to the North.
severance
division; partition; separation
The severance of church and state is a basic principle of our government.
sextant
navigation tool used to determine a ship's latitude and longitude
Given a clear night, with the aid of his sextant and compass, he could keep the ship safely on course.
shard
fragment, generally of pottery
The archaeologist assigned several students the task of reassembling earthenware vessels from the shards
he had brought back from the expedition.
sheaf
bundle of stalks of grain; any bundle of things tied together
The lawyer picked up a sheaf of papers as he rose to question the witness.
sheathe
place into a case
As soon as he recognized the approaching men, he sheathed his dagger and hailed them as friends.
shimmer
glimmer intermittently
The moonlight shimmered on the water as the moon broke through the clouds for a moment.
shirk
avoid (responsibility, work, etc.); malinger
Brian has a strong sense of duty; he would never shirk any responsibility.
shrewd
clever; astute
A shrewd investor, he took clever advantage of the fluctuations of the stock market.
shunt
turn aside; divert; sidetrack
If the switchman failed to shunt the Silver Streak onto a side track, the train would plow right into Union
Station.
shyster
lawyer using questionable methods.
On L.A. Law, respectable attorney Brackman was horrified to learn that his newly discovered half brother
was a cheap shyster.
sibling
brother or sister
We may not enjoy being siblings, but we cannot forget that we still belong to the same family.
sibylline
prophetic; oracular
Until their destruction by fire in 83 B.C., the sibylline books were often consulted by the Romans.
sidereal
relating to the stars
Although hampered by optical and mechanical flaws, the orbiting Hubble space telescope has relayed
extraordinary images of distant sidereal bodies.
silt
sediment deposited by running water
The harbor channel must be dredged annually to remove the silt.
simian
monkeylike
Lemurs are nocturnal mammals and have many simian characteristics, although they are less intelligent
than monkeys.
simile
comparison of one thing with another, using the word like or as
"My love is like a red, red rose" is a simile.
simplistic
oversimplified
Though Jack's solution dealt adequately with one aspect of the problem, it was simplistic in failing to
consider various complicating factors that might arise.
sinecure
well-paid position with little responsibility
My job is no sinecure; I work long hours and have much responsibility.
singular
unique; extraordinary; odd
Though the young man tried to understand Father William's singular behavior, he still found it odd that the
old man incessantly stood on his head.
skeptic
doubter; person who suspends judgment until he has examined the evidence supporting a
point of view.
In this matter, I am a skeptic; I want proof.
skiff
small, light sailboat or rowboat
Tom dreamed of owning an ocean-going yacht but had to settle for a skiff he could sail in the bay.
skimp
provide scantily; live very economically
They were forced to skimp on necessities in order to make their limited supplies last the winter.
skirmish
minor fight
Custer's troops expected they might run into a skirmish or two on maneuvers; they did not expect to face a
major battle.
skulduggery
dishonest behavior
The investigation into municipal corruption turned up new instances of skulduggery daily.
skulk
move furtively and secretly
He skulked through the less fashionable sections of the city in order to avoid meeting any of his former
friends.
slag
residue from smelting metal; dross; waste matter
The blast furnace had a special opening at the bottom to allow the workers to remove the worthless slag.
slander
defamation; utterance of false and malicious statements
Unless you can prove your allegations, your remarks constitute slander.
slapdash
haphazard; careless; sloppy
From the number of typos and misspellings I've found on it, it's clear that Mario proofread the report in a
remarkably slapdash fashion.
sleeper
something originally of little value or importance that in time becomes very valuable
Unnoticed by the critics at its publication, the eventual Pulitzer Prize winner was a classic sleeper.
slight
insult to one's dignity; snub
Hypersensitive and ready to take offense at any discourtesy, Bertha was always on the lookout for real or
imaginary slights.
slither
slip or slide
During the recent ice storm, many people slithered down this hill as they walked to the station.
sloth
slow-moving tree-dwelling mammal
Note how well the somewhat greenish coat of the sloth enables it to blend in with its arboreal
surroundings.
sluggard
lazy person
"You are a sluggard, a drone, a parasite," the angry father shouted at his lazy son.
sluggish
slow; lazy; lethargic
After two nights without sleep, she felt sluggish and incapable of exertion.
sluice
artificial channel for directing or controlling the flow of water
In times of drought, this sluice enables farmers to obtain water for irrigation.
slur
insult to one's character or reputation; slander
Polls revealed that the front-runner's standing had been damaged by the slurs and innuendoes circulated by
his opponent's staff.
smattering
slight knowledge
I don't know whether it is better to be ignorant of a subject or to have a mere smattering of information
about it.
smolder
burn without flame; be liable to break out at any moment
The rags smoldered for hours before they burst into flame.
snivel
run at the nose; snuffle; whine
Don't you come sniveling to me complaining about your big brother.
sobriety
moderation (especially regarding indulgence in alcohol); seriousness
Neither drunkards nor comics are noted for sobriety.
sojourn
temporary stay
After his sojourn in Florida, he began to long for the colder climate of his native New England home.
solace
comfort in trouble
I hope you will find solace in the thought that all of us share your loss.
solder
repair or make whole by using a metal alloy
The plumber fixed the leak in the pipes by soldering a couple of joints from which water had been oozing.
solecism
construction that is flagrantly incorrect grammatically
I must give this paper a failing mark because it contains many solecisms.
solemnity
seriousness; gravity
The minister was concerned that nothing should disturb the solemnity of the marriage service.
solicitous
worried, concerned
The employer was very solicitous about the health of her employees as replacements were difficult to get.
solicit
request earnestly; seek
Knowing she needed to have a solid majority for the budget to pass, the mayor telephoned all the members
of the city council to solicit their votes.
soliloquy
talking to oneself
The soliloquy is a device used by the dramatist to reveal a character's innermost thoughts and emotions.
solstice
point at which the sun is farthest from the equator
The winter solstice usually occurs on December 21.
solvent
able to pay all debts
By dint of very frugal living, he was finally able to become solvent and avoid bankruptcy proceedings.
somatic
pertaining to the body; physical
Why do you ignore the spiritual aspects and emphasize only the corporeal and the somatic ones?
somnambulist
sleepwalker
The most famous somnambulist in literature is Lady Macbeth; her monologue in the sleepwalking scene is
one of the highlights of Shakespeare's play.
somnolent
half asleep
The heavy meal and the overheated room made us all somnolent and indifferent to the speaker.
sophistication
artificiality; unnaturalness; act of employing sophistry in reasoning
Sophistication is an acquired characteristic, found more frequently among city dwellers than among
residents of rural areas.
sophistry
seemingly plausible but fallacious reasoning
Instead of advancing valid arguments, he tried to overwhelm his audience with a flood of sophistries.
sophist
teacher of philosophy; quibbler; employer of fallacious reasoning
You are using all the devices of a sophist in trying to prove your case; your argument is specious.
sophomoric
immature; shallow
Your sophomoric remarks are a sign of your youth and indicate that you have not given much thought to
the problem.
sordid
filthy; base; vile
The social worker was angered by the sordid housing provided for the homeless.
spangle
small metallic piece sewn to clothing for ornamentation
The thousands of spangles on her dress sparkled in the glare of the stage lights.
spartan
lacking luxury and comfort; sternly disciplined
Looking over the bare, unheated room with its hard cot, he wondered what he was doing in such spartan
quarters. Only his spartan sense of duty kept him at his post.
spatula
broad-bladed instrument used for spreading or mixing
The manufacturers of this frying pan recommended the use of a rubber spatula to avoid scratching the
specially treated surface.
spat
squabble; minor dispute
What had started out as a mere spat escalated into a full-blown argument.
spawn
lay eggs
Fish ladders had to be built in the dams to assist the salmon returning to spawn in their native streams.
spectrum
colored band produced when a beam of light passes through a prism
The visible portion of the spectrum includes red at one end and violet at the other.
spendthrift
someone who wastes money
Easy access to credit encourages people to turn into spendthrifts who shop till they drop.
193. sphinx-like enigmatic; mysterious
The Mona Lisa's sphinx-like expression has puzzled art lovers for centuries.
splice
fasten together; unite
Before you splice two strips of tape together, be sure to line them up evenly.
spontaneity
impulsiveness; absence of premeditation
What I liked best about Dale's parties was their spontaneity: a couple of friends would drop by, someone
would pull out a fiddle or guitar, and before you knew it the party would be in full swing.
spoonerism
accidental transposition of sounds in sucessive words
When the radio announcer introduced the President as Hoobert Herver, he was guilty of spoonerism.
sporadic
occurring irregularly
Although there are still sporadic outbursts of shooting in the streets, the rebellion is essentially over.
spruce
neat and trim
Every button buttoned, tie firmly in place, young Alex Keaton looked spruce and tidy for his job interview
at the bank.
spurious
false; counterfeit; forged; illogical
The hero of Jonathan Gash's mystery novels is an antique dealer who gives the reader advice on how to tell
spurious antiques from the real things.
squabble
minor quarrel; bickering
Children invariably get involved in petty squabbles; wise parents know when to interfere and when to let
the children work things out on their own.
squalid
dirty; neglected; poor
It is easy to see how crime can breed in such a squalid neighborhood.
squat
stocky; short and thick
Tolkien's hobbits are somewhat squat, sturdy little creatures, fond of good ale, good music, and good food.
staccato
played in an abrupt manner; marked by abrupt, sharp sound
His staccato speech reminded one of the sound of a machine gun.
stalemate
deadlock
Negotiations between the union and the employers have reached a stalemate; neither side is willing to
budge from previously stated positions.
stalwart
strong, brawny; steadfast
His consistent support of the party has proved that he is a stalwart and loyal member.
stamina
strength; staying power
I doubt that she has the stamina to run the full distance of the marathon race.
stanch
check flow of blood
It is imperative that we stanch the gushing wound before we attend to the other injuries.
statutory
created by statute or legislative action
The judicial courts review and try statutory crimes.
steadfast
loyal; unswerving
Penelope was steadfast in her affections, faithfully waiting for Ulysses to return from his wanderings.
stealth
slyness; sneakiness; secretiveness
Fearing detection by the sentries on duty, the scout inched his way toward the enemy camp with great
stealth.
stickler
perfectionist; person who insists things be exactly right
The Internal Revenue Service agent was a stickler for accuracy; no approximations or rough estimates
would satisfy him.
stifle
suppress; extinguish; inhibit
Halfway through the boring lecture, Laura gave up trying to stifle her yawns.
stigma
token of disgrace; brand
I do not attach any stigma to the fact that you were accused of this crime; the fact that you were acquitted
clears you completely.
stilted
bombastic; stiffly pompous
His stilted rhetoric did not impress the college audience; they were immune to bombastic utterances.
stint
be thrifty; set limits
"Spare no expense," the bride's father said, refusing to stint on the wedding arrangements.
stint
supply; allotted amount; assigned portion of work He performed his daily stint cheerfully and willingly.
stipple
paint or draw with dots
Seurat carefully stippled dabs of pure color on the canvas, juxtaposing dots of blue and yellow that the
viewer's eye would interpret as green.
stipulate
make express conditions, specify
Before agreeing to reduce American military forces in Europe, the president stipulated that NATO teams
be allowed to inspect Soviet bases.
stodgy
stuffy; boringly conservative
For a young person, Winston seems remarkably stodgy: you'd expect someone of his age to have a little
more life.
stoic
person who is indifferent to pleasure or pain
The doctor called her patient a stoic because he had borne the pain of the examination without
whimpering.
stoke
stir up a fire; feed plentifully
As a Scout, Marisa learned how to light a fire, how to stoke it if it started to die down, and how to
extinguish it completely.
stolidity
dullness; impassivenss
The earthquake shattered his usual stolidity; trembling, he crouched on the no longer stable ground.
stratified
divided into classes; arranged into strata
As the economic gap between the rich and the poor increased, Roman society grew increasingly stratified.
stratum
layer of earth's surface; layer of society
Unless we alleviate conditions in the lowest stratum of our society, we may expect grumbling and revolt.
streotyped
oversimplified; lacking individuality; seen as a type
My chief objection to the book is that the characters are stereotyped; they come across as ethnic
caricatures, not as real people with individual quirks, fears, and dreams.
strew
spread randomly; sprinkle; scatter
Preceding the bride to the altar, the flower girl will strew rose petals along the aisle.
stricture
critical comments; severe and adverse criticism
His strictures on the author's style are prejudiced and unwarranted.
strut
pompous walk
His strut as he marched about the parade ground revealed him for what he was: a pompous buffoon.
strut
supporting bar
The engineer calculated that the strut supporting the rafter needed to be reinforced.
studied
unspontaneous; deliberate; thoughtful
Given Jill's previous slights, Jack felt that the omission of his name from the guest list was a studied insult.
stultify
cause to appear or become stupid or inconsistent; frustrate or hinder
His long hours in the blacking factory left young Dickens numb and incurious, as if the menial labor had
stultified his mind.
stupefy
make numb; stun; amaze
Disapproving of drugs in general, Laura refused to take sleeping pills or any other medicine that might
stupefy her.
stupor
state of apathy; daze; lack of awareness
In his stupor, the addict was unaware of the events taking place around him.
stymie
present an obstacle; stump
The detective was stymied by the contradictory evidence in the robbery investigation.
subaltern
subordinate
The captain treated his subalterns as though they were children rather than commissioned officers.
subjective
occurring or taking place within the mind; unreal
Your analysis is highly subjective; you have permitted your emotions and your opinions to color your
thinking.
subjugate
conquer; bring under control
It is not our aim to subjugate our foe; we are interested only in establishing peaceful relations.
sublimate
refine; purify
We must strive to sublimate these desires and emotions into worthwhile activities.
subliminal
below the threshold
We may not be aware of the subliminal influences that affect our thinking.
submissive
yielding; timid
Crushed by his authoritarian father, Will had no defiance left in him; he was totally submissive in the face
of authority.
suborn
persuade to act unlawfully (especially to commit perjury)
In the Godfather, the mobsters used bribery and threats to suborn the witnesses against Don Michael
Corleone.
subpoena
writ summoning a witness to appear
The prosecutor's office was ready to serve a subpoena on the reluctant witness.
subservient
behaving like a slave; servile; obsequious
He was proud and dignified; he refused to be subservient to anyone.
subside
settle down; descend; grow quiet
The doctor assured us that the fever would eventually subside.
subsidiary
subordinate; secondary
This information may be used as subsidiary evidence but is not sufficient by itself to prove your argument.
subsidy
direct financial aid by government, etc.
Without this subsidy, American ship operators would not be able to compete in world markets.
subsistence
existence; means of support; livelihood
In those days of inflated prices, my salary provided mere subsistence.
substantive
essential; pertaining to the substance
Although the delegates were aware of the importance of the problem, they could not agree on the
substantive issues.
subsume
include; encompass
Does the general theory of relativity contradict Newtonian physics, or is Newton's law of gravity subsumed
into Einstein's larger scheme?
subterfuge
pretense; evasion
As soon as we realized that you had won our support by a subterfuge we withdrew our endorsement of
your candidacy.
subtlety
nicety; cunning; guile; delicacy
The subtlety of his remarks was unnoticed by most of his audience.
subversive
tending to overthrow; destructive
At first glance, the notion that Styrofoam cups may actually be more ecologically sound than paper cups
strikes most environmentalists as subversive.
succor
aid; assistance; relief
We shall be ever grateful for the succor our country gave us when we were in need.
succulent
juicy; full of richness
To some people, Florida citrus fruits are more succulent than those from California.
suffragist
advocate of voting rights (for women)
In recognition of her efforts to win the vote for women, Congress authorized coining a silver dollar
honoring the suffragist Susan B. Anthony.
sully
tarnish; soil
He felt that it was beneath his dignity to sully his hands in such menial labor.
summation
act of finding the total, summary
In his summation, the lawyer emphasized the testimony given by the two witnesses.
sundry
various; several
My suspicions were aroused when I read sundry items in the newspapers about your behavior.
superannuated
retired or disqualified because of age
The superannuated man was indignant because he felt that he could still perform a good day's work.
supercilious
contemptuous; haughty
I prefer Jill's modesty to Jack's supercilious and arrogant attitude.
supererogatory
superfluous; more than needed or demanded
We have more than enough witnesses to corroborate your statement; to present any more would be
supererogatory.
superficial
trivial; shallow
Since your report gave only a superficial analysis of the problem, I cannot give you more than a passing
grade.
superfluous
excessive; overabundant, unnecessary
Please try not to include so many superfluous details in your report; just give me the bare facts.
superimpose
place over something else
Your attempt to superimpose another agency in this field will merely increase the bureaucratic nature of
our government.
supernumerary
person or thing in excess of what is necessary; extra
His first appearance on the stage was as a supernumerary in a Shakespearean tragedy.
suppliant
entreating; beseeching
He could not resist the dog's suppliant whimpering, and he gave it some food.
supposition
hypothesis; surmise
I based my decision to confide in him on the supposition that he would be discreet.
supposititious
assumed; counterfeit; hypothetical
I find no similarity between your supposititious illustration and the problem we are facing.
surfeit
satiate; stuff; indulge to excess in anything
Every Thanksgiving we are surfeited with an overabundance of holiday treats.
surveillance
watching; guarding
The FBI kept the house under constant surveillance in the hope of capturing all the criminals at one time.
susceptible
impressionable; easily influenced; having little resistance, as to a disease
He was a very susceptible young man, and so his parents worried that he might fall into bad company.
sustain
experience; support; nourish
He sustained such a severe injury that the doctors feared he would be unable to work to sustain his
growing family.
sustenance
means of support, food, nourishment
In the tropics, the natives find sustenance easy to obtain because of all the fruit trees.
suture
stitches sewn to hold the cut edges of a wound or incision; material used in sewing
We will remove the sutures as soon as the wound heals.
swelter
be oppressed by heat
I am going to buy an air conditioning unit for my apartment as I do not intend to swelter through another
hot and humid summer.
swerve
deviate; turn aside sharply
The car swerved wildly as the driver struggled to regain control of the wheel.
swill
drink greedily
Singing, "Yo, ho, ho, and a bottle of rum," Long John Silver and his fellow pirates swilled their grog.
sybarite
lover of luxury
Rich people are not always sybarites; some of them have little taste for a life of luxury.
sycophant
servile flatterer
The king enjoyed the servile compliments and attentions of the sycophants in his retinue.
syllogism
logical formula consisting of a major premise, a minor premise and a conclusion; deceptive
or specious argument There must be a fallacy in this syllogism; I cannot accept its conclusion.
sylvan
pertaining to the woods; rustic
His paintings of nymphs in sylvan backgrounds were criticized as oversentimental.
symbiosis
interdependent relationship (between groups, species), often mutually beneficial
Both the crocodile bird and the crocodile derive benefit from their symbiosis; pecking away at food
particles embedded in the crocodile's teeth, the bird derives nourishment; the crocodile, meanwhile, derives
proper dental hygiene.
symmetry
arrangement of parts so that balance is obtained; congruity
The addition of a second tower will give this edifice the symmetry that it now lacks.
synchronous
similary timed; simultaneous with
We have many examples of scientists in different parts of the world who have made synchronous
discoveries.
synoptic
providing a general overview; summary
The professor turned to the latest issue of Dissertation Abstracts for a synoptic account of what was new
in the field.
synthesis
combining parts into a whole
Now that we have succeeded in isolating this drug, our next problem is to plan its synthesis in the
laboratory.
synthetic
artificial; resulting from synthesis
During the twentieth century, many synthetic products have replaced the natural products.
tactile
pertaining to the organs or sense of touch
His callused hands had lost their tactile sensitivity.
tainted
contaminated; corrupt Health authorities are always trying to prevent the sale and use of tainted food.
tangential
peripheral; only slightly connected; digressing
Despite Clark's attempts to distract her with tangential remarks, Lois kept on coming back to her main
question: why couldn't he come out to dinner with Superman and her?
tangible
able to be touched; real; palpable
Although Tom did not own a house, he had several tangible assets--a car, a television, a PC--that he could
sell if he needed cash.
tanner
person who turns animal hides into leather
Using a solution of tanbark, the tanner treated the cowhide, transforming it into supple leather.
tantalize
tease; torture with disappointment
Tom loved to tantalize his younger brother with candy; he knew the boy was forbidden to have it.
tantrum
fit of petulance; caprice
The child learned that he could have almost anything if he went into tantrums.
tautological
needlessly repetitious
In the sentence "It was visible to the eye," the phrase "to the eye" is tautological.
taxonomist
specialist in classifying (animals, etc.)
Dental patterns often enable the taxonomist to distinguish members of one rodent species from those of
another.
tedium
boredom; weariness
We hope this radio will help overcome the tedium of your stay in the hospital.
temperament
characteristic frame of mind; disposition; emotional excess
Although the twins look alike, they differ markedly in temperament: Tod is calm, but Rod is excitable.
temper
moderate; tone down or restrain; toughen (steel)
Not even her supervisor's grumpiness could temper Nancy's enthusiasm for her new job.
temporal
not lasting forever; limited by time; secular
At one time in our history, temporal rulers assumed that they had been given their thrones by divine right.
temporize
avoid committing oneself; gain time
I cannot permit you to temporize any longer; I must have a definite answer today.
tenacity
firmness; persistency; adhesiveness
It is extremely difficult to overcome the tenacity of a habit such as smoking.
tendentious
having an aim; biased; designed to further a cause
The editorials in this periodical are tendentious rather than truth-seeking.
tender
offer; extend
Although no formal changes had been made against him, in the wake of the recent scandal the mayor felt
he should tender his resignation.
tentative
provisional; experimental
Your tentative plans sound plausible; let me know when the final details are worked out.
tenuous
thin; rare; slim
The allegiance of our allies is held by rather tenuous ties; let us hope they will remain loyal.
tenure
holding of an office; time during which such an office is held
He was permanent tenure in this position and cannot be fired.
terminate
to bring to an end
When his contract was terminated unexpectedly, he desperately needed a new job.
terminology
terms used in a science or art
The special terminology developed by some authorities in the field has done more to confuse laypersons
than to enlighten them.
terminus
last stop of railroad
After we reached the railroad terminus, we continued our journey into the wilderness on saddle horses.
terrestrial
on or relating to the earth
We have been able to explore the terrestrial regions much more thoroughly than the aquatic or celestial
regions.
tertiary
third
He is so thorough that he analyzes tertiary causes where other writers are content with primary and
secondary reasons.
tesselated
inlaid; mosaic
I recall seeing a table with a tesselated top of bits of stone and glass in a very interesting pattern.
testator
maker of a will
The attorney called in his secretary and his partner to witness the signature of the testator.
testy
irritable; short-tempered
My advice is to avoid discussing this problem with him today as he is rather testy and may shout at you.
tether
tie with a rope
Before we went to sleep, we tethered the horses to prevent their wandering off during the night.
thematic
relating to a unifying motif or idea
Those who think of Moby Dick as a simple adventure story about whaling miss is underlying thematic
import.
theocracy
government of a community by religious leaders
Some Pilgrims favored the establishment of a theocracy in New England.
theoretical
not practical or applied; hypothetical
Bob was better at applied engineering and computer programming than he was at theoretical physics and math. While I can still think of some theoretical objections to your plan, you've convinced me of its basic
soundness.
therapeutic
curative
Now better known for its racetrack, Saratoga Springs first gained attention for the therapeutic qualities of
its famous "healing waters."
thermal
pertaining to heat
The natives discovered that the host springs gave excellent thermal baths and began to develop their
community as a health resort.
thespian
pertaining to drama
Her success in the school play convinced her she was destined for a thespian career.
thrifty
careful about money; economical
A thrifty shopper compares prices before making major purchases.
thrive
prosper; flourish
Despite the impact of recession on the restaurant trade, Philip's cafe thrived.
throes
violent anguish
The throes of despair can be as devastating as the spasms accompanying physical pain.
thwart
baffle; frustrate
He felt that everyone was trying to thwart his plans and prevent his success.
tightwad
excessively frugal person; miser
Jill called Jack a tightwad because he never picked up the check.
tilter
handle used to move the boat's rudder (to steer)
Fearing the wind might shift suddenly and capsize the skiff, Tom kept one hand on the tilter at all times.
timbre
quality of a musical tone produced by a musical instrument
We identify the instrument producing a musical sound by its timbre.
timidity
lack of self-confidence or courage
If you are to succeed as a salesperson, you must first lose your timidity and fear of failure.
timid
easily frightened; apprehensive
He was timid and cowardish; always backing up at daunting situations.
tipple
drink (alcoholic beverages) frequently
He found that his most enjoyable evenings occurred when he tippled with his friends at the local pub.
tirade
extended scolding; denunciation
Long before he had finished his tirade, we were sufficiently aware of the seriousness of our misconduct.
title
right or claim to possession; mark of rank; name (of a book, film, etc.)
Though the penniless Duke of Ragwort no longer held title to the family estate, he still retained his title as
head of one of England's oldest families.
titular
having the title of an office without the obligations
Although he was the titular head of the company, the real decisions were made by his general manager.
toady
servile flatterer; yes man
Never tell the boss anything he doesn't wish to hear: he doesn't want an independent adviser, he just wants
a toady.
toil
work laboriously; make slow painful progress
You must toil through 3500 words list in order to achieve a high score on GRE.
tonic
invigorating medicine
The tonic water invigorated her, contrary to the enervating effect of the alcohol.
tonsure
shaving of the head, especially by person entering religious orders
His tonsure, even more than his monastic garb, indicated that he was a member of the religious order.
topography
physical features of a region
Before the generals gave the order to attack, they ordered a complete study of the topography of the
region.
torpor
lethargy; sluggishness; dormancy
Nothing seemed to arouse him from his torpor; he had wholly surrendered himself to lethargy.
torque
twisting force; force producing rotation
With her wrench she applied sufficient torque to the nut the loosen it.
torrent
rushing stream; flood
Day after day of heavy rain saturated the hillside until the water ran downhill in torrents.
torso
trunk of statue with head and limbs missing; human trunk
This torso, found in the ruins of Pompeii, is now on exhibition in the museum in Naples.
tortuous
winding; full of curves
Because this road is so tortuous, it is unwise to go faster than twenty miles an hour on it.
touchstone
stone used to test the fineness of gold alloys; criterion
What touchstone can be used to measure the character of a person?
tout
publicize; praise excessively
I lost confidence in my broker after he touted some junk bonds that turned out to be a bad investment.
tract
pamphlet; a region of indefinite size
The King granted William Penn a tract of land in the New World.
traduce
expose to slander
His opponents tried to traduce the candidate's reputation by spreading rumors about his past.
trajectory
path taken by a projectile
The police tried to locate the spot from which the assassin had fired the fatal shot by tracing the trajectory
of the bullet.
tranquillity
calmness; peace
After the commotion and excitement of the city, I appreciate the tranquillity of these fields and forests.
transcribe
copy
When you transcribe your notes, please send a copy to Mr.Smith and keep the original for our files.
transient
momentary; temporary; staying for a short time
Lexy's joy at finding the perfect Christmas gift for Phil was transient; she still had to find presents for the
cousins and Uncle Bob. Located near the airport, this hotel caters to the largely transient trade.
transition
going from one state of action to another
During the period of transition from oil heat to gas heat, the furnace will have to be shut off.
transitoriness
impermanence
Conscious that all things pass, the psalmist relates the transitoriness of happiness and fame.
translucent
partly transparent
We could not recognize the people in the next room because of the translucent curtains that separated us.
transmute
change; convert to something different
He was unable to transmute his dreams into actualities.
transparent
permitting to light to pass through freely; easily detected
Your scheme is so transparent that it will fool no one.
transpire
be revealed; happen
When Austen writes the sentence "It had just transpired that he had left gaming debts behind him," her
meaning is not that the debts had just been incurred, but the the shocking news had just leaked out.
transport
strong emotion
Margo was a creature of extremes, at one moment in transports of joy over a vivid sunset, at another
moment in transports of grief over a dying bird.
trappings
outward decorations; ornaments
He loved the trappings of success: the limousines, the stock options, the company jet.
traumatic
pertaining to an injury caused by violence
In his nightmares, he kept on recalling the traumatic experience of being wounded in battle.
travail
painful labor
How long do you think a man can endure such travail and degradation without rebelling?
travesty
comical parody; treatment aimed at making something appear ridiculous
The ridiculous decision the jury has arrived at is a travesty of justice.
treatise
article treating a subject systematically and thoroughly
He is preparing a treatise on the Elizabethan playwrights for his graduate degree.
trepidation
fear; trembling agitation
We must face the enemy without trepidation if we are to win this battle.
tribulation
distress; suffering
After all the trials and tribulations we have gone through, we need this rest.
tribunal
court of justice
The decision of the tribunal was final and the prisoner was sentenced to death.
tribute
tax levied by a ruler; mark of respect
The colonists refused to pay tribute to a foreign despot.
trident
three-pronged spear
Neptune is usually depicted as rising from the sea, carrying his trident on his shoulder.
trilogy
group of three works
Romain Rolland's novel Jean Christophe was first published as a trilogy.
trinket
knickknack; bauble
Whenever she traveled abroad, Ethel would pick up costume jewelry and other trinkets as souvenirs.
trite
hackneyed; commonplace
Thr trite and predictable situations in many television programs alienate many viewers.
trivia
trifles; unimportant matters
Too many magazines ignore newsworthy subjects and feature trivia.
troth
pledge of good faith especially in betrothal
He gave her his troth and vowed to cherish her always.
trough
container for feeding farm animals; lowest point (of a wave, business cycle, etc.)
The hungry pigs struggled to get at the fresh swill in the trough. The surfer rode her board, coasting along
in the trough between two waves.
truculence
agressiveness; ferocity
Tynan's reviews were noted for their caustic attacks and general tone of truculence.
truncate
cut the top off The top of the cone that has been truncated in a plane parallel to its base is a circle.
tumid
swollen; pompous; bombastic
I especially dislike his tumid style; I prefer writing which is less swollen and bombastic.
tundra
rolling, treeless plain in Siberia and arctic North America
Despite the cold, many geologists are trying to discover valuable mineral deposits in the tundra.
turbid
muddy; having the sediment disturbed
The water was turbid after the children had waded through it.
turbulence
state of violent agitation
We were frightened by the turbulence of the ocean during the storm.
turgid
swollen; distended
The turgid river threatened to overflow the levees and flood the contryside.
turncoat
traitor
The British considered Benedict Arnold a loyalist; the Americans considered him a turncoat.
turpitude
depravity
A visitor may be denied admittance to this country if she has been guilty of moral turpitude.
tutelage
guardianship; training
Under the tutelage of such masters of the instrument, she made rapid progress as a virtuoso.
tutelary
protective; pertaining to a guardianship
I am acting in my tutelary capacity when I refuse to grant you permission to leave the campus.
tyranny
oppression; cruel government
Frederick Douglass fought against the tyranny of slavery throughout his entire life.
ubiquitous
being everywhere; omnipresent
That Christmas "The Little Drummer Boy" seemed ubiquitous: Justin heard the tune everywhere he went.
ulterior
situated beyond; unstated and often questionable
You must have an ulterior motive for your behavior, since there is no obvious reason for it.
ultimate
final; not susceptible to further analysis
Scientists are searching for the ultimate truths.
ultimatum
last demand; warning
Since they have ignored our ultimatum, our only recourse is to declare war.
umbrage
resentment; anger; sense of injury or insult
She took umbrage at his remarks and stormed away in a huff.
unanimity
complete agreement
We were surprised by the unanimity with which our proposals were accepted by the different groups.
unassuming
modest
He is so unassuming that some people fail to realize how great a man he really is.
unconscionable
unscrupulous; excessive
She found the load shark's demands unconscionable and impossible to meet.
uncouth
outlandish; clumsy; boorish Most biographers portray Lincoln as an uncouth and ungainly young man.
unction
the act of anointing with oil
The anointing with oil of a person near death is called extreme unction.
unctous
oily; bland; insincerely suave
Uriah Heep disguised his nefarious actions by unctuous protestations of his "'umility."
undergird
strengthen the base of
Whereas relativity theory undermined the Newtonian mechanics, cosmology was undergirded by it.
undermine
weaken; sap
The recent corruption scandals have undermined many people's faith in the city government.
underscore
emphasize
Adressing the jogging class, Kim underscored the importance to runners of good nutrition.
unearthly
not earthly; weird
There is an unearthly atmosphere in her work that amazes the casual observer.
unearth
dig up
When they unearthed the city, the archeologists found many relics of an ancient civilization.
unfettered
liberated; freed from chains
Chained to the wall for months on end, the hostage despaired that he would ever be unfettered.
unfrock
to strip a priest or minister of church authority
To disbar a lawyer, to unfrock a priest, to suspend a doctor's license to practice--these are extreme steps
that the authorities should take only after careful consideration.
uniformity
sameness; consistency; monotony
After a while, the uniformity of TV situation comedies becomes boring.
unilateral
one-sided
This legislation is unilateral since it binds only one party in the controversy.
unimpeachable
blameless and exemplary
Her conduct in office was unimpeachable and her record is spotless.
unintimidating
unfrightening
Though Phil had expected to feel overawed when he met Joe Montana, he found the experience
unintimidating and relaxing.
unique
without an equal; single in kind
You have the unique distinction of being the first student whom I have had to fail in this course.
universal
characterizing or affecting all; present everywhere
At first, no one shared Christopher's opinions; his theory that the world was round was met with universal
disdain.
unobtrusive
inconspicuous; not blatant
The secret service agents in charge of protecting the President tried to be as unobtrusive as possible.
unprecedented
novel; unparalleled
Margaret Mitchell's book Gone with the Wind was an unprecedented success.
unprepossessing
unattractive
During adolescence many attractive young people somehow acquire the false notion that their appearance
is unprepossessing.
unravel
disentangle; solve
With equal ease Miss Marple unraveled tangled balls of yarn and baffling murder mysteries.
unrequited
not reciprocated
Suffering the pangs of unrequited love, Olivia rebukes Cesario for his hard-heartedness.
unsavory
distasteful; morally offensive
People with unsavory reputations should not be allowed to work with young children.
unsightly
ugly
Although James was an experienced emergency room nurse, he occasionally became queasy when faced
with a particularly unsightly injury.
untoward
unfortunate; annoying
Untoward circumstances prevent me from being with you on this festive occasion.
unwarranted
unjustified; groundless; undeserved
We could not understand Martin's unwarranted rudeness to his mother's guests.
unwieldy
awkward; cumbersome; unmanageable
The large carton was so unwieldy that the movers had trouble getting it up the stairs.
unwonted
unaccustomed
He hesitated to assume the unwonted role of master of ceremonies at the dinner.
uproarious
marked by commotion; extremely funny; very noisy
The uproarious comedy hit Home Alone featured Macaulay Culkin, whose mugging and comic antics
provoked gales of uproarious laughter from audiences coast to coast.
upshot
outcome
The upshot of the rematch was that the former champion proved that he still possessed all the skills of his
youth.
ursine
bearlike; pertaining to a bear
Because of its ursine appearance, the great panda has been identified with the bears; actually, it is closely
related to the raccoon.
usurp
seize power; supplant
The revolution ended when the victorious rebel leader usurped the throne.
utopia
imaginary land with perfect social and political system
Shangri-la was the name of James Hilton's Tibetan utopia.
uxorious
excessively devoted to one's wife
His friends laughed at him because he was so uxorious and submissive to his wife's desires.
vacillate
waver; fluctuate
Uncertain which suitor she ought to marry, the princess vacillated, saying now one, now the other.
vacuous
empty; lacking in ideas; stupid
The candidate's vacuous remarks annoyed the audience, who had hoped to hear more than empty
platitudes
vagabond
wanderer; tramp
In summer, college students wander the roads of Europe like carefree vagabonds.
vagrant
homeless wanderer
Because he was a stranger in town with no visible means of support, Martin feared he would be jailed as a
vagrant.
valedictory
pertaining to farewell
I found the valedictory address too long; leave-taking should be brief.
valid
logically convincing; sound; legally acceptable
You're going to have to come up with a better argument if you want to convince me that your reasoning is
valid.
vampire
ghostly being that sucks the blood of the living
Children were afraid to go to sleep at night because of the many legends of vampires.
vantage
position giving an advantage
They fired upon the enemy from behind trees, walls and any other point of vantage they could find.
variegated
many-colored
Without her glasses, Gretchen saw the fields of tulips as a variegated blur.
vassal
in feudalism, one who held land of a superior lord
The lord demanded that his vassals contribute more to his military campaign.
vaunted
boasted; bragged; highly publicized
This much vaunted project proved a disappointment when it collapsed.
veer
change in direction
After what seemed an eternity, the wind veered to the east and the storm abated.
vegetate
live in a monotonous way
I do not understand how you can vegetate in this quiet village after the adventurous life you have led.
venal
capable of being bribed The venal policeman accepted the bribe offered him by the speeding motorist whom he had stopped.
veneer
thin layer; cover
Casual acquaintances were deceived by his veneer of sophistication and failed to recognize his fundamental
shallowness.
venerable
deserving high respect
We do not mean to be disrespectful when we refuse to follow the advice of our venerable leader.
ventriloquist
someone who can make his or her voice seem to come from another person or thing
This ventriloquist does an act in which she has a conversation with a wooden dummy.
venue
location
The attorney asked for a change of venue; he thought his client would do better if the trial were held in a
less conservative county.
veracious
truthful
I can recommend him for this position because I have always found him veracious and reliable.
veracity
truthfulness
Trying to prove Hill a liar, Senator Spector repeatedly questioned her veracity.
verbalize
put into words
I know you don't like to talk about these things, but please try to verbalize your feelings.
verbiage
pompous array of words
After we had waded through all the verbiage, we discovered that the writer had said very little.
verdant
green; lush in vegetation
Monet's paintings of the verdant meadows were symphonies in green.
verdigris
green coating on copper which has been exposed to the weather
Despite all attempts to protect the statue from the elements, it became coated with verdigris.
verge
border; edge
Madame Curie knew she was on the verge of discovering the secrets of radioactive elements.
verisimilitude
appearance of truth; likelihood
Critics praised her for the verisimilitude of her performance as Lady Macbeth. She was completely
believable.
vernacular
living language; natural style
Cut out those old-fashioned "thee's" and "thou's" and write in the vernacular.
versatile
having many talents; capable of working in many fields
He was a versatile athlete; at college he had earned varsity letters in baseball, football, and track.
verve
enthusiasm; liveliness
She approached her studies with such verve that it was impossible for her to do poorly.
viable
capable of maintaining life; practicable; workable
The infant, though prematurely born, is viable and has a good chance to survive.
vicarious
acting as a substitute; done by a deputy
Many people get a vicarious thrill at the movies by imagining they are the characters on the screen.
vicissitude
change of fortune
Humbled by life's vicissitudes, the last emperor of China worked as a lowly gardener in the palace over
which he had once ruled.
vigor
active strength
Although he was over seventy years old, Jack had the vigor of a man in his prime.
vintner
winemaker; seller of wine
The poet wondered what the vintners could buy that would be half as precious as the wine they sold.
viper
poisonous snake
The habitat of the horned viper, a particularly venomous snake, is in sandy regions like the Sahara or the
Sinai peninsula.
virtual
in essence; for practical purposes
She is a virtual financial wizard when it comes to money matters.
virtue
goodness; moral excellence; good quality
A virtue carried to extremes can turn into something resembling vice; humility, for example, can
degenerate into servility and spinelessness.
virtuoso
highly skilled artist
The child prodigy Yehudi Menuhin grew into a virtuoso whose virtuosity on the violin thrilled millions.
visage
face; appearance
The stern visage of the judge indicated that she had decided to impose a severe penalty.
visceral
felt in one's inner organs
She disliked the visceral sensations she had whenever she rode the roller coaster.
vise
tool for holding work in place
Before filling its edges, the keysmith took the blank key and fixed it firmly between the jaws of a vise.
visionary
produced by imagination; fanciful; mystical
She was given to visionary schemes that never materialized.
vital
vibrant and lively; critical; living, breathing
The vital, highly energetic first aid instructor stressed that it was vital in examining accident victims to note
their vital signs.
vitreous
pertaining to or resembling glass
Although this plastic has many vitreous qualties such as transparency, it is unbreakable.
vituperative
abusive; scolding He became more vituperative as he realized that we were not going to grant him his wish.
vivisection
act of dissecting living animals
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals opposed vivisection and deplored the practice of
using animals in scientific experiments.
vixen
female fox; ill-tempered woman
Aware that she was right once again, he lost his temper and called her a shrew and a vixen.
vociferous
clamorous; noisy
The crowd grew vociferous in its anger and threatened to take the law into its own hands.
volatile
changeable; explosive; evaporating rapidly
The political climate today is extremely volatile: no one can predict what the electorate will do next.
voluminous
bulky; large
Despite her family burdens, she kept up a voluminous correspondence with her friends.
vortex
whirlwind; whirlpool; center of turbulence; predicament into which one is inexorably plunged
Sucked into the vortex of the tornado, Dorothy and Toto were carried from Kansas to Oz.
vouchsafe
grant condescendingly; guarantee
I can safely vouchsafe you fair return on your investment.
voyeur
Peeping
Jill called Jack a voyeur when she caught him aiming his binoculars at a bedroom window of the house
next door.
vulpine
like a fox; crafty
She disliked his sly ways, but granted him a certain vulpine intelligence.
waffle
speak equivocally about an issue.
When asked directly about the governor's involvement in the savings and loan scandal, the press secretary
waffled, talking all around the issue.
waft
moved gently by wind or waves.
Daydreaming, he gazed at the leaves that wafted past his window.
waggish
mischievous; humorous; tricky.
He was a prankster who, unfortunately, often overlooked the damage he could cause with his waggish
tricks.
waif
homeless child or animal.
Although he already had eight cats, he could not resist adopting yet another feline waif.
waive
give up temporarily; yield.
I will waive my rights in this matter in order to expedite our reaching a proper decision.
wane
grow gradually smaller.
From now until December 21, the winter solstice, the hours of daylight will wane.
wanton
unrestrained; willfully malicious; unchaste.
Pointing to the stack of bills, Sheldon criticized Sarah for her wanton expenditures. In response, Sara
accused Sheldon of making an unfounded, wanton attack.
warranty
guarantee; assurance by seller.
The purchaser of this automobile is protected by the manufacturer's warranty that he will replace any defective part for five years or 50,000 miles.
warrant
justify; authorize.
Before the judge issues the injunction, you must convince her this action is warranted.
warren
tunnels in which rabbits live; crowded conditions in which people live.
The tenement was a veritable warren, packed with people too poor to live elsewhere.
waylay
ambush; lie in wait.
They agreed to waylay their victim as he passed through the dark alley going home.
wean
accustom a baby not to nurse; give up a cherished activity.
He decided he would wean himself away from eating junk food and stick to fruits and vegetables.
weather
endure the effects of weather or other forces.
He weathered the changes in his personal life with difficulty, as he had no one in whom to confide.
welter
turmoil; bewildering jumble.
The existing welter of overlapping federal and state proclaims cries out for immediate reform.
welter
wallow.
At the height of the battle, the casualties were so numerous that the victims weltered in their blood while
waiting for medical attention.
welt
mark from beating or whipping.
The evidence of child abuse was very clear; Jennifer's small body was covered with welts and bruises.
wheedle
cajole; coax; deceive by flattery.
She knows she can wheedle almost anything she wants from her father.
whelp
young wolf, dog, tiger, etc.
This collie whelp won't do for breeding, but he'd make a fine pet.
whet
sharpen; stimulate.
The odors from the kitchen are whetting my appetite; I will be ravenous by the time the meal is served.
whiff
puff or gust (of air, scent, etc.); hint.
The slightest whiff of Old Spice cologne brought memories of George to her mind.
whimsical
capricious; fanciful.
He dismissed his generous gift to his college as a sentimental fancy, an old man's whimsical gesture.
whittle
pare; cut off bits.
As a present for Aunt Polly, Tom whittled some clothespins out of a chunk of wood.
whorl
ring of leaves around stem; ring.
Identification by fingerprints is based on the difference in shape and number of whorls on the fingers.
willful
intentional; headstrong.
Donald had planned to kill his wife for months; clearly, her death was a case of deliberate, willful murder,
not a crime of passion committed by a hasty, willful youth unable to foresee the consequences of his deeds.
winnow
sift; separate good parts from bad.
This test will winnow out the students who study from those who don't bother.
winsome
agreeable; gracious; engaging.
By her winsome manner, she made herself liked by everyone who met her.
wispy
thin; slight; barely discernible.
Worried about preserving his few wispy tufts of hair, Walter carefully massaged his scalp and applied hair
restorer every night.
wistful
vaguely longing; sadly pensive.
With a last wistful glance at the happy couples dancing in the hall, Sue headed back to her room to study
for her exam.
withdrawn
introverted; remote.
Rebuffed by his colleagues, the initially outgoing young researcher became increasingly withdrawn.
witless
foolish; idiotic.
Such witless and fatuous statements will create the impression that you are an ignorant individual.
witticism
witty saying; facetious remark.
What you regard as witticisms are often offensive to sensitive people.
wizened
withered; shriveled.
The wizened old man in the home for the aged was still active and energetic.
wont
custom; habitual procedure.
As was his wont, he jogged two miles every morning before going to work.
worldly
engrossed in matters of this earth; not spiritual.
You must leave your worldly goods behind you when you go to meet your Maker.
wrath
anger; fury.
She turned to him, full of wrath, and said, "What makes you think I'll accept lower pay for this job than
you get?"
wrench
pull; strain; twist.
She wrenched free of her attacker and landed a powerful kick to his kneecap.
wrest
pull away; take by violence.
With only ten seconds left to play, our team wrested victory from their grasp.
writ
written command issued by a court.
The hero of Leonard's novel is a process server who invents unorthodox ways of serving writs on reluctant
parties.
xenophobia
fear or hatred of foreigners.
When the refugee arrived in America, he was unprepared for the xenophobia he found there.
yeoman
man owing small estate; middle-class farmer.
It was not the aristocrat but the yeoman who determined the nation's policies.
yield
amount produced; crop; income on investment.
An experienced farmer can estimate the annual yield of his acres with surprising accuracy.
yokel
country bumpkin.
At school, his classmates regarded him as a yokel and laughed at his rustic mannerisms.
yoke
join together, unite.
I don't wish to be yoked to him in marriage, as if we were cattle pulling a plow.
yore
time past.
He dreamed of the elegant homes of yore, but gave no thought to their inelegant plumbing.
zealot
fanatic; person who shows excessive zeal.
It is good to have a few zealots in our group for their enthusiasm is contagious.
zeal
eager enthusiasm.
Wang's zeal was contagious; soon all his fellow students were busily making posters, inspired by his ardent
enthusiasm for the cause.
zenith
point directly overhead in the sky; summit.
When the sun was at its zenith, the glare was not as strong as at sunrise and sunset.